The Lady of the Lake
by Annabeth Black
Summary: Annabeth loves the water and now Prince Arthur thinks he loves her. She treats him differently so where will the tides of their "relationship" take them? What about the lake of Avalon and that horrible man named Peter? Arthur/OC Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than my OC
1. Chapter 1

**Diclaimer: I do not own Merlin. That belongs to the BBC.**

**Warning: Some characters are slightly OCC, especially Arthur but I've tried to stay as true to each character as possible.**

**Note: This takes place before the start of the current series (4)**

**Chapter One**

Annabeth knew that they were coming for her. New and gossip spread like wild fire in the lower towns of Camelot and those who lived in the castle would surely have known about her… oddity for days before they acted to investigate it. Her only shock was that they had not come sooner for she expected them days ago. Never the less, when two Camelot guards came knocking at her door early that evening she was not the least bit surprised.

"In the name of the king, open up!" A guard bellowed as he pounded against the bolted door.

Sighing, Annabeth put a cork into the pipe of flowing water and dried her hands on her apron as she crossed the room to unbolt the door. Two helmeted guards burst into the room, narrowly missed hitting her with the door and started searching her house.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Annabeth protested, backing away into the table in the corner of the room where a small, sandy-haired boy was writing by candlelight, knowing full well that they probably could too."

"Ha! Hahahahahahahaha! On what grounds?" Annabeth spat, glaring at her prince.

"We've had reports from locals accusing you of witchcraft of sorts." Arthur glared at her.

"I wish." Annabeth snorted. In truth she knew why they were there and she found it all rather funny really.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Arthur asked sharply but Annabeth had turned her back on him to look at what the young boy was writing.

"Capital P and capital A. Remember always use capitals for names of people, places and titles." She told the boy quietly, squeezing his shoulder encouragingly.

"Excuse me! I'm talking to you!" Arthur shouted.

"I heard your question sire. I just chose not to respond." Annabeth said casually, gliding over to the sink where she began to use a soapy cloth to clean her dishes.

"How dare you?" Arthur asked outraged. "I should arrest you right now for your rudeness to royalty, insolence and impertinence!"

"If you arrest people purely on the fact that they're rude then almost every single citizen of Camelot would be in either the dungeons or the stocks right now sire." Annabeth commented, smiling to herself. "And," she added "should you put me in the stocks or the dungeons, you shall never find out what you desire to know from me."

"And what exactly-?"

"Sorry to interrupt your majesty but we've searched the entire place and it's clean." One of the guards reported.

"Very well. You may go and wait outside." Arthur dismissed them, irritated that they had interrupted. "As I was saying, and what exactly do you-?"

Arthur was interrupted again, this time by the entrance of a breathless Merlin stumbling through the doorway.

"Oh, hello stranger. Feel free to stumble into my house. I don't mind." Annabeth said sarcastically.

"Merlin, what are you doing here?" Arthur asked agitatedly.

"I asked you to wait for me." Merlin panted.

"Yeah, well I do have better things to do than wait around for you Merlin." Arthur retorted.

"Please, feel free to argue. I'll carry on with my dishes shall I?" Annabeth gave them both a fake smile before returning to her dishes, leaving the two to bicker. It wasn't until she pulled the cork out of the pipe that Merlin and Arthur were drawn back to reality.

"What is that sound?" Arthur asked, striding over to the sink.

"Running water, sire." Annabeth sighed. "Bright one you are, sharp as a spoon." She added under her breath.

"What was that?" He snapped.

"Nothing, sire. Nothing at all." Annabeth hastily replied.

"So how do you get this water to run? Magic?" Arthur asked in an accusing tone.

"No, sire. There is a barrel on the roof. I collect and clean rain water. There's a hole in the bottom of the barrel connected to this thing called a pipe which directs the water here." Annabeth explained.

"You, guard, is there a barrel on top of the roof?" Arthur shouted out of the open door.

"Yes sire. There are several sire." The guard confirmed.

"Did you come up with this idea on your own? " Arthur interrogated.

"You could say that sire. Personally, I think I'm just very good with water."

"What are you doing over here?" Merlin asked the young boy at the table. "May I see?"

"Miss Potter is teaching me to read and write sir." The boy replied, handing over his piece of parchment to Merlin. On it, scrawled untidily at least 20 times over, were the words Camelot, King Uther, Prince Arthur and Knights.

"You can read and write?" Merlin asked Annabeth interestedly, looking at the boy' words.

"Yes, it is hard to get anywhere in the world without such skills, even if no one will let me have any books to read." Annabeth drawled. Then, in a much sweeter and friendlier tone she added. "Tobias, you may go home now. I shall see you again tomorrow."

The little boy bowed to Annabeth and the Prince before getting his piece of paper back of Merlin and ran from the small house.

"So you teach them…" Arthur started.

"And their parents pay me a copper piece a week. It's a bit of a rip off my end actually." Annabeth shrugged, once more plugging the pipe. "But that's not why you're here sire, is it? You have accusations that I'm a witch. What will you do about that?"

"Do you deny that you are a witch?" Arthur asked boldly.

"Yes I do actually." Annabeth said huffily, turning around to face her "guests", drying a plate with a cloth. "Wise woman, maybe. Crazy woman, more than likely but witchy woman? No, definitely not."

"Prove to us that you're not a witch." Arthur challenged.

"How am I meant to do that?" Annabeth half shouted. Arthur opened his mouth to speak but she continued. "You know what? Prove to me you have a brain or that God is real and I will prove to you that I am not a witch."

"How dare you!" Arthur started to yell, moving into Annabeth's personal space.

"Arthur? Arthur, she's not a witch." Merlin interrupted.

"What?" Arthur spun around to face Merlin, who was reading the scroll with the allegations and accounts of Annabeth on it. Neither of them noticed Annabeth back away a few feet.

"Look, no one specifically said magic or witchcraft." Merlin pointed out.

"Well you don't need to say anything to imply it."

"But look! They've said things about knowing about things before their time and knowing things about the past. She's only been telling them stories!" Merlin explained.

"Oh you're- You've got to be kidding me!" Arthur flustered.

"Not only am I standing right here but I also have a name too you know Merlin. _Learn it_." Annabeth muttered, just loud enough for them to hear her.

"Is it true? Are you a storyteller?" Arthur demanded.

"You ask about it as if it is a noble and paid profession!" Annabeth laughed mirthlessly, putting a small stack of dishes back in a high up cupboard.

"Are you, or are you not, a storyteller?" Arthur repeated impatiently.

"No sire, I am not." Annabeth answered truthfully, now drying a cup.

"Then what the hell are you?" Arthur shouted, thoroughly annoyed at this wild goose chase.

"Lost and all alone, _sire_, that's what I am. I try to make a living any way I can because I have no clue who or where my parents are. I am desperate just like every other penniless citizen in this city! And I am trying my best to do something with my life before I sell myself to a filthy husband because I can do no better!" Annabeth lost control and threw both the cup and the cloth on the floor before storming out of her house.

"Well that went well." Merlin aid sarcastically.

"No one has ever spoken to me like that before. Never in my life. Not even Gwen!" Arthur said, staring blankly at the wall, evidently shocked.

"You aren't- you aren't going to punish her or arrest her, are you?" Merlin asked tenderly.

"No… we're going to follow her."

"We?"

"Oh shut up and come on." Arthur snapped, dragging Merlin behind him.

**So what do you think? It only takes a minute to leave a review and anonymous reviews are accepted along with any criticisms. Reviews mean a lot to me and quicker updates so please leave one! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Arthur, this is wrong. We shouldn't be doing it." Merlin hissed as they crouched behind the vegetable stall. Annabeth was across the street looking at scarves at a merchant's stall in the near darkness.

"I am the crown prince Merlin. I can do whatever I want." Arthur whispered back, rolling his eyes before going back to watching Annabeth, who was now paying for a dark blue scarf with money she'd seemed to pull from thin air.

"Where did that money come from" Arthur asked sharply.

"She pulled it out from a pocket concealed in her sleeve. Did you not see?" Merlin told him, smiling at the girl's craftiness.

"Obviously not you dollophead." Arthur muttered darkly, eyes still on Annabeth, who'd moved a little way down the street to wrap the scarf around her head in a makeshift hood. Looking left and right, she began walking swiftly through the town.

Arthur and Merlin followed her at a parallel through the town, struggling to keep up with her without detection, especially when she spontaneously started running.

"Where – is – she – going?" Arthur grunted, jumping over a barrel in order to duck down behind a low wall.

"Out of the lower town. Into the forest." Merlin guessed, knowing that the forest was the only place Annabeth really _could_ go although why she would want to go there at night when there was a curfew was beyond him.

"Right then," Arthur decided, dragging Merlin down a side street to their left.

"How do we know we're actually going the right way though?" Merlin panted, almost tripping over.

"Trust me Merlin! Come on!"

They continued running down the emptier and narrower street until it merged with the Annabeth's one.

"Where is she?" Merlin asked stupidly, scanning the thinning crowd for her.

"Goddamnit!" Arthur cursed through clenched teeth. He _really _wanted to follow her. There was just something about her…

"No, wait. Arthur, look!" Merlin pointed to a brown hooded figure walking out of the kingdom gates. Worriedly, the figure looked over her shoulder and Arthur saw the face of Annabeth.

"Where is she going?" Arthur repeated, asking the question almost to himself.

"Isn't that the point of following her? To find out?" Merlin asked.

"I know that Merlin! I'm not an idiot!" Arthur scowled, shoving his servant.

"Look, she's leaving." Merlin pointed to Annabeth who'd walked out of the gate and was now running across the fields surrounding Camelot, the ghost of her laugh barely reaching them. "There is no way we'll be able to follow her without being seen now. If we wait we'll lose her in the darkness."

"Merlin, go back up to the castle and tell them I'll be late for dinner." Arthur ordered absent-mindedly, eyes locked on a cart piled high with barrelled goods, slowly being pulled by a donkey out of the castle gates.

"Oh no. You're not going out there on your own," Merlin objected, following Arthur's gaze.

"Fine then, just keep up." Arthur rolled his eyes before running to walk behind the cart, which was following Annabeth at a painfully slow pace.

Once Annabeth broke through the tree line, Merlin and Arthur weren't even half way across the field.

"Shall we risk it and make a run for the trees?" Merlin asked.

"Give it a minute and then we'll run." Arthur nodded.

Together they waited for probably less than a minute before running full pelt across the field and diving into the tree for cover.

"Now where is-?" Arthur began but Merlin clapped a hand over his mouth and nodded.

A little way in the forest, Annabeth was talking to a pal, fat man with thinning, dirty-blonde hair and a bushy moustache. His clothes were purple and obviously expensive due to the golden embellishments on them. His small, beady eyes were focused intently on Annabeth's face so he did not notice Arthur and Merlin crouching there.

"… So I met him and he accused me of being a witch." Annabeth was saying.

"Very nice." The man commented, his voice oozing sarcasm.

"Not that you care, I would expect. But it doesn't matter. I met him and I felt nothing so you can take me back to my home now, right?" Annabeth asked eagerly.

"I think you mean _our_ home." The man narrowed his eyes.

"We're not married yet Peter." Annabeth said icily.

"Yes, we are not and while we are still unmarried it will be Lord Orion to you!" Peter raised his voice, causing Annabeth to jump backwards.

"Yes Lord Orion. My apologies Lord Orion." Annabeth whispered, head bowed.

"What a jerk." Merlin whispered.  
>"Ssh!" Arthur hissed back.<p>

"I think I shall leave you here in Camelot for a while longer-"

"What? No! I've already broken the rules by seeing him once! Please! I just want to go home-"

"Shut up!" Peter growled, smacking Annabeth across the face.

Arthur made a small growling noise and made to move but Merlin held him back instinctively.

"You will stay there until I send for you, do you hear me? You will get no more money from me and when I send for you, it will only be because it will be time to get you ready for our wedding." Peter grinned menacingly at her.  
>"You bastard." Annabeth spat.<p>

"No need to drag my parentage into this Annabeth. And speaking of parents, yours shouldn't have sold you to me." Peter clucked.

"Anita and Robert aren't my parents and you know that. They had no right selling me to you."

"Well it's too late now, isn't it my sweet? Now go home and await further instruction." Peter ordered.

"Yes Lord Orion." Annabeth curtseyed and turned to leave.

"Uh, I think you've forgotten something." Peter said icily.

"Please don't make me-"

"We are going to be married. I expect it of you." Peter demanded.

"As you wish my lord." Annabeth walked over to Peter and tilted her face up to him, for he was a lot taller than she was.

Peter grinned greedily and bent down to kiss her roughly before releasing her. With a final curtsey, she turned and fled the scene. Arthur and Merlin waited a minute for Peter to turn and leave before chasing after Annabeth. Once they'd almost caught up with her, they called out her name.

"Annabeth!" Arthur shouted.

Annabeth whipped around and stopped dead.

"You followed me." She whispered.

"Uh, yes, we did." Arthur looked anywhere but at her.

"I-" she didn't bother finishing the sentence, she just continued running to Camelot.

"Annabeth, come back." Arthur called, running after her.

"I don't think this was a very good idea." Merlin commented, following.

"Stay away from me!" Annabeth called back, her voice strangely uneven.

"Annabeth," Arthur caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "Who was he? What was that?"

"Let go of me!" Annabeth struggled.

"Annabeth, what just happened?" Arthur asked again.

"Like you care!" Annabeth laughed sarcastically.

"I do care. As the future king I care about my kingdom and all of the citizens in it." Arthur aid diplomatically.

"Yeah, as the future king maybe but what about as plain old Arthur because right now there's no one here for you to need to be diplomatic for, unless you have this weird thing about servants?" Annabeth stopped struggling.

"Yes." Arthur answered shortly.

"Yes what?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes, I do care, just as 'plain old Arthur'." Arthur told her.

"Why?" She demanded, taken aback.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak but Merlin interrupted him.

"Arthur, they're closing the gates." He said worryingly.

"Oh bloody hell." Arthur cursed. "Run!"

And together the three of them ran as fast as they could to the castle gates. When they were closer, Annabeth tripped on a clump of weeds.

"Son of a-" Annabeth growled, rotating her ankle. "Ow!"

"Merlin, run ahead, get them to leave open the gates." Arthur instructed, moving back over to Annabeth and crouching down beside her, not watching Merlin do as he was told. "Can I pick you up?" He asked her gently.

"What?" she countered incredulously.

"Am I allowed to pick you up? Can you walk?" He repeated.

"I think I can walk. I don't need help." She said stubbornly, trying to get herself up.

"Annabeth, let me carry you." He told her as she winced in pain.

"No, that would show others that I'm weak. I'm not weak!" she protested.

"Fine, then be locked out here." Arthur shrugged, trying a new tactic. He just wanted to help her. Why wouldn't she let him? What was so impossible about the situation?

"Fine." She said stubbornly, standing on one leg.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Arthur huffed, turning around and picking Annabeth up.

"What? Put me down!" Annabeth protested.

"You should be grateful you know. I'm stopping you from being cold and hungry tonight." Arthur told her. "Could you at least be quiet so I can get your through the gates?"

Annabeth unwillingly subsided into silence, glaring at nothing in particular for her own clumsiness. Arthur, who was in his own clothes, carried her with apparent ease and his arms, Annabeth found, were a disturbingly comfortable place to be.

"Act ill or injured if you can." Arthur murmured, stony faced.

Obediently, Annabeth went slightly limp in his arms and managed to cry a few pain-filled tears.

"My lord, what has happened?" one of the guards on gate duty asked.

"My servant and I were looking for some flowers for my father that might help relieve his pain a bit when we stumbled across this young maiden who'd fallen on the field and couldn't move. She claims to be a citizen of Camelot and I plan on my servant helping me return her safely to her house before we make our way back up to the castle." Arthur spoke in a princely manner, making the guards believe his partly made up story.

"How kind of you sire. Do you require any assistance at all?" a second guard asked.

"No, my servant will help me take it from here. You gentleman stay on your posts and keep up the good job." Arthur smiled graciously before walking through the gates, Merlin at his side.

"Are you okay?" Merlin asked Annabeth, who was wiping up her tears.

"Yes, I'm fine. I can walk myself but the Prince won't let me!" she huffed.

"You're hurt." Arthur stated simply.

"I twisted it. Just let me rest it in a bucket of water and I'll be fine." She protested.

"Why water?" Arthur asked somewhat sharply.

"Ask Gaius, it cools the nerve endings." She replied coolly.

Arthur didn't respond and the trio remained silent as they walked back to Annabeth's house. When they finally reached it, Merlin opened the door and began his search for a bucket. Arthur meanwhile, was moving the curtain that divided the house in two, to reveal Annabeth's neatly made bed. Without a word, Arthur laid her down and moved back to give her some space.

It was then that he noticed how small her house actually was. The table wasn't very big, only about 4 foot long and only just fit in the corner and would probably only just fit in on the other side of the doorway too. Length ways, the table would've fit in 3 times at most. Most of the left was crammed with cupboards (most of which were empty) and there was a fire pit in the middle of the room. A single trunk was pushed against the back wall. Behind the curtain was her bed, a wash basin, a single white cloth and a wooden box with a hole in it.

"This isn't the smallest house in Camelot either." Annabeth spoke up, seemingly reading Arthur's mind. "There are bigger families in smaller houses than me. I got lucky."

"I have the bucket." Merlin told them, coming over from the sink.

"Thank you Merlin. You boys can go back to the castle now. I'd cook but I know you wouldn't eat anything I'd serve you anyway, not when there's better food waiting for you." Annabeth said graciously, taking the bucket from Merlin and starting to take off her shoe.

"Oh, right. Okay then." Merlin said awkwardly, moving towards the door.

"I'll send Gaius round to check on your ankle tomorrow then." Arthur told her, backing away from her bed.

"Oh, thank you sire but it's not necessary." Annabeth blushed.

"No no no. I insist." Arthur smiled, baking away a bit more.

"Thank you." Annabeth said quietly. "Um, Arthur?"

"Yes?" Arthur asked, hand on the door.

"You never said, um, about why you care, you know, just as you." Annabeth said nervously, looking down at her nails.

"Uh," Arthur stalled, unsure of how to answer. "Look, Annabeth, I'm late and I have to get back to the castle but you interest me and if I get the chance, I'd like to get to know you."

"But why-?" Annabeth started to ask but Merlin and Arthur were already gone, running back up to the castle and their suppers.

**Please read and review Thanks **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Goodness me Merlin! Where have you been?" Gaius asked the second Merlin stumbled through the doorway to their rooms.

"It's a long story." Merlin sighed, shuffling over to his room.

"Oh come now Merlin." Gaius frowned, then suddenly getting an idea he added. "If you want your dinner you're going to have to tell me where you've been."

"You wouldn't." Merlin gaped, stopping in his tracks.

Gaius, keeping a straight face, just raised a sceptical eyebrow instead of answering.

"I- Ugh- Gaius! Arthur wanted me to come along with him to question a girl in the lower towns about her being a witch." Merlin grimaced.

"Surely that didn't take all evening." Gaius asked, picking up a plate from under a cloth that held Merlin's dinner on it.

"No, it didn't. She stormed out at the end of her interview and Arthur got me to help him follow her. We watched her talk with a man named Peter; I think he made her call him Lord Orion?"

"Lord Orion? Are you sure Merlin?" Gaius snapped to attention at the sound of the name.

"Yes, why?"

"Lord Orion is one of Camelot's lords. Peter, his only son, is not good news Merlin. He's notorious for drinking and gambling amongst other… disgraceful things." Gaius grimaced. "Who is this girl and why is she associating with him?"

"Her name is Annabeth Potter," Merlin frowned. "And she's been sold to him as a wife."

"Oh dear, this isn't good at all." Gaius shook his head, placing Merlin's food in front of him.

"Tell me about it, especially as Arthur is so taken up with her." Merlin thought aloud, stabbing a piece of meat with his fork.

"What did you say?" Gaius asked sharply.

"Arthur," Merlin said, swallowing. "He seems to really like her. I mean, he carried her back into Camelot after she twisted her ankle and there's just something about the way he acted with her… She treated him differently and he liked it or something."

"What about Guinevere?"

"I… I don't know. I hadn't even thought about it to be honest, and obviously neither did he." Merlin frowned.

"I see." Gaius said sombrely. "Well, finish your dinner Merlin. You've had a long day, I'm sure."

Merlin looked at Gaius oddly, who was now leaving the room, and shrugged before going back to his dinner.

_Knock knock._

"Ugh." Annabeth stirred from under her covers.

_Knock knock knock._

"Jerry, go away!" Annabeth called out groggily.

"Who's Jerry?" a familiar voice asked from the other side of the front door.

Annabeth picked her head up off the pillow and blinked in the bright sunlight. Slowly, she sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed.

"Hang on a moment! I'll be right there!" Annabeth called out.

Jumping out of bed, she pulled a small knitted blanket around her and shuffled to the door. Slicking back her hair, she quickly checked herself for morning breath before opening the door.

"Merlin! What a surprise!" Annabeth smiled happily, letting Merlin and Gaius in. "Who's this?"

"This is my guardian Gaius. Arthur sent us over to have a look at your ankle." Merlin smiled.

"Oh, my ankle? Oh, I wish I'd woken up earlier so I could send you a message! My ankle is fine! All better, see?" Annabeth cursed at herself silently, finally showing them her ankle. Other than being a little red, it was totally fine.

"May I have a closer look?" Gaius asked, nodding at her ankle.

"Yes, of course you may." Annabeth smiled, sitting down at her table. "I don't know why Arthur is so bothered. I just twisted it. It's not like I'm going to die. Besides, I'm just a peasant girl." She told them.

"Twisted it you say? Then surely it should still be a little swelled. What did you do to it?" Gaius asked, bending down to take a closer look at her "injured" ankle.

"I can answer that Gaius. We put it in a bucket of water." Merlin spoke up, trying not to be forgotten.

"But even so Merlin, there should still be some swelling. Are you sure that's all you did?" Gaius frowned.

"Yes, I'm sure! What, are you trying to get me accused of being a witch too? I did nothing to you! How dare you!" Annabeth withdrew her foot and stood up, backing away from the two men, strangers in her make-shift home. "You can tell the prince to leave me be because I'm fine. You may leave now." She told them coldly.

Gaius and Merlin looked at each other before silently leaving the house.

"She's hiding something, isn't she?" Merlin asked Gaius in a low voice as they walked back up to the castle.

"Yes Merlin, I believe she is." Gaius nodded gravely.

_Knock knock knock._

Annabeth wanted to scream. People had been knocking on the door all day. Her students, the parents of her students, merchants trying to sell her things, beggars asking for food and money, it was driving her insane! She just wanted to scream and run away to a place where she could be on her own. Unfortunately she couldn't so instead she took a deep breath and answered the door yet again.

"What do you wa- Oh, Your Majesty." Annabeth swept into a curtsey as Arthur strode into her house.

"Miss Potter, I'd like to interview you some more about the events of yesterday." Arthur told her in a business-like manner, instantly noticing the 5 children sat around her table, writing on bits of paper.

"Of course Sire. Would you prefer that the children leave? Or shall we step outside?" Annabeth asked, looking at the floor.

"If the children could leave us for a few minutes, I'm sure the process would be more…. Comfortable as I'm afraid I can't take you up to the castle, due to feast preparations. Even the guards' interrogation rooms are undergoing cleaning." Arthur seemed slightly irritated by this.

"You heard the prince. Off you trot. You can have a bit of a break and come back in half an hour." Annabeth instructed the children, who were all now watching the two adults.  
>"Your majesty." They all bobbed before pushing back their chairs and running out of the house.<p>

"They won't be back in half an hour." Annabeth laughed to herself, watching the children run down the streets, giggling and joking together.

"How do you know?" Arthur asked, moving to watch too.

"They're children sire. As a child did you not ever stay out playing later than you should do in order to dodge your responsibilities?" Annabeth laughed, closing the door.

"Not really. I've always known that my duty is to Camelot, therefore I spent as much time as possible learning how to be a good king for when my time on the throne comes." Arthur said stiffly.

"Ah," Annabeth raised her eyebrow and muttered something under her breath that Arthur didn't quite catch. "Now how may I help you sire?" She closed the door and wordlessly offered Arthur a seat at her table.

"I wanted to ask you some questions about yesterday if you don't mind." Arthur never took his eyes off her as he sat down in a vacated chair.

"Well if it makes you feel better, you can always pull rank on me to get me to answer a question." Annabeth shrugged, tidying up the children's papers and tucking in chairs.

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" Arthur asked, trying not to smile.

"I don't know," Annabeth paused to think for a moment, before picking up the quills and placing them on a shelf above the table. "I just didn't know how to answer you. I'd rather not talk about yesterday really but as you're the prince I have no choice really, hence you being able to pull rank on me."

"I suppose that's true. You are so unlike any other person I've met." Arthur half laughed.

"Oh really?" she didn't look at him but started taking off her apron instead.

"Yes! If you take away all the 'sire's and 'Your Majesty's from what you say, you treat me just the same as everyone else. Even my friends still show some level of respect when they talk to me." He scoffed.

"That's what the 'sire's are for, my Lord." Annabeth told him, folding up her apron and moving to place it next to the sink.

"But why sugar coat it?" Arthur asked, turning to face her.

"Sugar coating it will keep me out of the stocks." She shrugged.

"Annabeth, why did you say you wished you were a witch yesterday?" Arthur asked, breaking the awkward pause that followed the previous comment.

"You wouldn't understand." She sighed, finally sitting down at the table.

"Of course I would." Arthur lied immediately, eager to hear what she had to say.

"No, you wouldn't. You're too narrow-minded when it comes to magic. Your view has been tainted by your loss and your experiences. You wouldn't understand." She shook her head.

"Well I want to know and understand so try me."Arthur insisted.

"Um, okay… Think of it like this. Magic is a person. It has both good sides and bad sides to it, just like everything and just like everything in life I guess, you interpret it through your experiences – for example, you and your father have had bad experiences with magic so you only see the bad and dark side to it. Someone like me, who's had positive experiences with magic will be able to see the good side as well as the bad side. Do you understand?" She explained nervously.

"What experience have you had with magic?" Arthur asked sharply.

"My mother's maid was a witch. She healed me with magic when I almost died at 7 years old." Annabeth replied coolly.

"You almost died?" Arthur seemed shocked and almost upset by this news.

"I fell down some stairs and my head cracked open. She sealed it up with magic and stopped me from dying. I owed that woman my life." She stared at Arthur, trying to work out something, though he did not know what.

"What happened to her, the maid who healed you?" Arthur went on, his tone softer and gentler now.

"We were visiting the main land, my mother lived in a house on a small island, and some of your lot – I mean, knights of Camelot – saw her doing magic to pick some apples off high branches. The captured her and dragged her away here where she was burned at the stake. They tried to take me too but when they learned I wasn't her daughter, they sent me home." Annabeth told him bitterly. She'd never liked Camelot for what they'd done; they'd taken away her only friend. The other 2 servants in the house hated her and her father was dead, leaving her mother in a terrible state so she couldn't really care for her daughter. She'd only been 9 at the time. That left her lonely for 10 years.

"I… I don't know what to s-say." Arthur stuttered.

"Then don't say anything," Annabeth snapped, pushing herself away from the table.

There was a pregnant pause between the two before Arthur broke the silence.

"I want to offer you a job Annabeth, up at the castle." Arthur said, not looking at her.

"I beg your pardon?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow, looking at her prince.

"I want to offer you a job. Up at the castle. It'll only be a small job, washing dishes in the kitchen if you want. Or you could take over some of Gwen's chores." Arthur said, meeting her gaze.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline sire. I refuse to go anywhere near the castle." Annabeth gave a curt nod before standing up and going over to her kitchen.

"Why?" Arthur challenged, standing up and folding his arms.

"Because I can support myself well enough on my own without your help." Annabeth retorted, pulling out a few carrots from an upper cupboard, to which she slammed the door shut.

"I thought Orion wasn't paying you anything?" Arthur countered slyly, grinning due to the fact that he remembered the conversation he'd overheard the day before.

"That is none of your business!" Annabeth snapped, pulling out a knife to start slicing the carrots on a wooden chopping board.

"Everything that goes on in Camelot is my business. I am the prince and future king after all." Arthur smirked. This was far too easy. He'd expected better from her however he did enjoy the banter.

"Lucky you. I'm just a servant girl with no parents and no future." She smiled at him sarcastically.

"I wouldn't say that. You might have a future if you come to work up at the castle." Arthur suggested.

Annabeth could hear the smile in his voice and was sorely tempted to throw her knife at him. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? She didn't want his attention. Gwen could have it for all she cared. Not that she deserved it. Annabeth knew what Gwen was to become and the thought sickened her almost as much as the thought of having to marry Peter Orion.

"Why do you want me to come and work up at the castle?" She asked quietly, keeping a lid on her anger. She picked up an onion and violently chopped both ends off instead, making Arthur jump a little.

"I want to help you. I also wouldn't mind seeing you a little more often." Honest was probably the best move with Annabeth, Arthur thought, owning up.

"Well I'm flattered that you seem to have taken a personal interest in me my lord but I have to decline your offer." Annabeth's voice wavered. She was frustrated as well as angry now and she always cried when she was frustrated, something she didn't want to do in front of the prince.

"Why?" Arthur demanded, also getting frustrated. Why couldn't she be like every other normal person and be happy that he wanted to help her and accept his offer?

"Because I can't go near the castle." She stared unseeingly at the onion she was peeling.

"That's just absurd. Of course you can!" Arthur half-laughed with relief.

"No, I really can't. Not when May was burned at the stake in your courtyard." She sniffed, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief before starting to dice the onions on the chopping board. "Besides, people are already starting to talk. You've visited me twice in a row and people saw you carrying me home last night. They thinking I'm sleeping with you. If I go to work at the castle it'll only further their suspicions."

That silenced Arthur. He walked back to the table and slumped into a chair, resting his head in his hands and his elbows on the table he started pulling his hair. Annabeth said nothing but started filling a giant copper pot up with water. When it was half full she stopped the water from flowing and hauled the heavy pot over to the fire pit and hung it on a study structure so the base of the pot was over the pit. Cursing under her breath, Annabeth went over to the table to get her apron with the flint in it. Snatching the apron off the table, she walked back over to the pit, putting it on as she went. Kneeling down next to the pot, she had trouble tying up the strings at the back of the apron. As she blindly fumbled, she heard Arthur's chair scrape back.

_Please be leaving. Please be leaving_, she prayed silently.

Arthur crouched down behind Annabeth and moved her hands away from the string before tying up the apron in a bow, that spot on her back becoming instantly warm. He then picked the flint up from the floor where Annabeth had temporarily placed it and started a fire in the pit to get the water in the pot boiling. Annabeth stayed frozen in her crouching position, hardly daring to move until Arthur's hand took hold of her arm and guided her to stand up and turn around to face him.

"Thank you." She blushed, looking down. The places where he'd touched her were warmer than the rest of her body and she wanted nothing more than to hug him at that moment, which she couldn't. "You didn't have to do that."

"Maybe it'll show you that all I want to do is help." Arthur told her quietly, gently reaching out and tilting Annabeth's face up so she was looking into his honest eyes.

"I- I need to find the children. Thank you sire." Annabeth stuttered, taking a small step backwards (so to avoid hitting the pot) and then around Arthur, before walking slowly out of her house and off to find her pupils.

"Within kissing distance." Arthur muttered to himself before turning and walking out of the house and back up to the castle.

**Wow, that's 7 pages on Microsoft Word! Quite a long chapter! :D**

**I've decided that Sundays (and perhaps the occasional Thursdays) are going to be my update days for all those interested **

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled.

He was currently sitting in his bed, shirt off, and had just thrown an extremely dull book onto the floor. He was bored, incredibly so. Since his visit to Annabeth the previous day, nothing seemed to entertain him anywhere near as much as the argument they had had. He couldn't even concentrate on running the kingdom properly as he was too busy being plagued with admittedly limited thoughts of Annabeth.

"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled again. "Idiot."

"I'm here sire." Merlin panted, skidding into the room and almost toppling over.

"Where were you?" Arthur demanded, folding his arms in a very childish manner.

"Cleaning out the stables like you ordered me to." Merlin frowned.

"Oh yes. I can smell you from over here." Arthur blanched, pinching his nose. "Go take a bath Merlin. But be quick about it because I need you to come back and clean my room."

Merlin surveyed the room and his jaw dropped. The bed clothes were all over the floor, bits of partially burnt fruit lay at varying distances from the fire and several books had been carelessly thrown around the room.

"What happened in here?" Merlin asked, stunned. "I only cleaned up in here an hour ago!"

"I got bored." Arthur explained in a 'Duh' voice.

"Have you tried talking to Gwen?" Merlin suggested.

"Yes," Arthur sighed, taking a bite out of an apple lying next to him before throwing it at the fire. The apple passed through the flames and rebounded off the back wall of the fireplace, sending the mini fireball bouncing onto the floor where it rolled over and over until it had extinguished itself. "But I can seem to find anything to really talk to her about."

Merlin watched Arthur, expecting more.

"I feel bad," Arthur admitted sadly, throwing himself backwards to lie on the bed, looking at the ceiling. "I have this thing going on with Guinevere yet all I can think about I Annabeth!"

"What- what do you want me to do?" Merlin frowned, not knowing what to say.

"Well you can go have a bath first. You really do smell Merlin." Arthur leant up to stare at Merlin, showing him the seriousness on his face. "Then you can go down to the town and talk to Annabeth and try to get her to accept the job position up here?"

"You really are desperate, aren't you?" Merlin asked, smiling to himself.

"No I am not desperate!" Arthur protested. "I'd just like to see her more!"

"Whatever you say," Merlin smirked. "I'll be back later then."

And with that, he strolled out of the room, barely containing his laughter.

Merlin strolled along the street at a leisurely pace. It wasn't that he was reluctant to go and see Annabeth (he thought she was a very pretty girl after all), he was just happy to be out of Arthur's presence for a while.

As he got nearer to Annabeth's house, he was aware of shouting coming within it. Crouching down beneath one of the windows, he listened intently.

"… and you can tell him that!" Annabeth said rudely.

"Idiot girl! Why can't you do as you're told?" another woman shouted at her.

"Because Laurel, it wasn't your place to sell me in the first place! I refuse to be abandoned by him one moment and then called to his house so that he can have his way with me! I will not ruin my chances of going to Heaven!" Annabeth yelled back. Merlin could hear the tears in her voice.

There was a frustrated scream from in the house, although Merlin could not tell from who, and then a slapping noise and then a crash and a thud.

"I hope he kills you." Laurel told her, disgust evident in her tone.

After a few moments the front door slammed open and a tall woman with wispy blonde hair and more wrinkles that she cared for strode out of the house, head held high. Merlin shrank lower to the floor and waited for her to sweep off down the road before standing up and walking to Annabeth' front door, which had shut again, and opening it.

"Annabeth?" He called, pushing open the door slowly.

"Go away you nasty b-" Annabeth screamed. She was at the sink, leaning against the work surface, nose dripping blood into the sink.

"Annabeth! What happened?" Merlin asked urgently, rushing to her side.

"Now's not a good time Merlin. You have to leave." Annabeth said in a rough voice, not looking at him.

"But Anna!" Merlin protested.

"Get _lost_ Merlin." She growled back, still not looking at him.

Hesitantly, Merlin started to leave again, understanding Annabeth's need to be alone but as he opened the door, he found he could not make himself walk out. He shut it again and turned around, opening his mouth to speak.

"Up." Annabeth whispered, staring at the blood-spotted water in the sink.

The water in the sink swished from side to side twice before rising up in a spiral and stopping the blood flow from Annabeth's nose.

"You have magic." Merlin whispered, shocked.

The water splashed back into the sink and Annabeth whipped around to face him, horror etched onto her face.

**Sorry this one isn't up to the usual standard but I didn't think I was going to finish it in time! :P Please review anyone (even if it is to tell me it sucked) and I'll do better next week.**


	5. Chapter 5

"_Up." Annabeth whispered, staring at the blood-spotted water in the sink. _

_The water in the sink swished from side to side twice before rising up in a spiral and stopping the blood flow from Annabeth's nose._

"_You have magic." Merlin whispered, shocked._

_The water splashed back into the sink and Annabeth whipped around to face him, horror etched onto her face._

"No…" Annabeth gasped, backing away from the sink, shaking violently.

"Annabeth-" Merlin smiled.

"No, please, I'm sorry! I'm sorry-" she was crying now. "I promise I won't so it again! I promise!"

"Annabeth! Stop it! I'm not going to hand you over to the guards!" Merlin shouted over her sobs.

"How much?" Annabeth asked miserably, hiccupping slightly, understanding what he wanted and walking over to the trunk and opening the lid.

"What?" Merlin asked, unable to wipe the silly grin of his face. He had been right!

"How much do I have to pay you to keep my secret?" Annabeth asked, pulling out her purse.

"Oh, what? Nothing." Merlin said, still grinning.

"Oh no," Annabeth moaned. "No no no! Please don't make me sleep with you Merlin."

"Sleep wi- what? No! It's fine. I don't want anything!" The grin fell of Merlin's face as he realized what she was saying.

"Oh thank God!" Annabeth sighed, collapsing on her bed.

"I thought you didn't believe in any kind of God?" Merlin frowned.

"Christ Merlin, it's just an expression." Annabeth snorted with a watery smile on her face as she stared up at the ceiling.

"If you say so." Merlin laughed.

"So… if you don't want money or to sleep with me, what do you want from me in order to keep you secret?" She asked slowly, realising she wasn't quite off the hook yet.

Merlin sat down at the table for a moment, thinking.

"I want you to accept Arthur's offer of working up at the castle." Merlin grinned, killing two birds with one stone.

"No," Annabeth sat bolt-upright. "Anything but that."

"But-"

"Merlin, people think I'm sleeping with Arthur for money. If I go up to the castle on a regular basis, people will start to say more stuff, stuff that I don't want to be said about me. Please don't make me go up there." Annabeth got up from the bed and looked at him, deadly serious.

"Uh, okay. How about we compromise? You don't have to take the job but you have to let Arthur come and see you whenever he wants." Merlin voiced the best thing he could come up with.

"Why would he want to see me? I'm a little nobody." Annabeth asked stubbornly, drifting over to the sink where she started scrubbing a small copper pot angrily.

"Annabeth, you aren't a nobody. Arthur is very much interested in you. He can't stop thinking about you." Merlin admitted.

Annabeth dropped her cloth in the sink and stared at Merlin. Her heart was racing as she was fighting off the urge to be sick. May had been right. When she'd still be alive she'd predicted that when Annabeth went to Camelot (it was inevitable, May knew that) a man would fall in love with her; a man that she could never truly be with and that his love would drive her mad.

"Annabeth? Annabeth, you need to breath. Annabeth!" Merlin was by her side, a hand on either shoulder.

Annabeth let out the breath that she hadn't even realised she was holding.

"Uh, sorry about that. I blanked for a second." Annabeth smiled, shrugging Merlin's hands off.

"Are you okay?" Merlin grimaced.

"Yes, yes," Annabeth's said airily.

Merlin frowned, not knowing what to do. When it came to girls he had next to no experience on what to do or how to act which made sense as he spent most of his time surrounded by fellow males. He really ought to do something to change that. He'd talk to Gwen about it later.

"Uh, Merlin, you should probably get back up to the castle now." Annabeth turned back to the sink and picked up her cloth. "Report to Arthur that he can visit me whenever he wants but I swear to God Merlin, if I find out that you've told anyone about my secret I _will_ kill you." Annabeth glared daggers at him.

"I won't tell on you, don't worry. Afterall, I have magic as well." Merlin smiled.

"You have magic?" Annabeth grinned.

"Yes. Would you like me to show you?" Merlin asked, glad to be able to share the weight of his secret with someone other than Gaius.

"If you don't mind." Annabeth smiled shyly.

Merlin grinned and looked around the little house. He saw clothes scattered across the bed and smiled knowingly. Holding out his hand in the direction of the clothes, he whispered a spell and his eyes turned golden as they started to fold themselves up into neat piles.

Merlin turned back to Annabeth to Annabeth who was smiling but there was something else, a hint of jealousy in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked.

"You can do more magic than I can." She admitted grudgingly. Magic was could be a sensitive topic for her sometimes.

"Well if you come up to the castle, I might be able to teach you if you want." Merlin offered. They could teach each other spells that they knew and learn new ones together. She could help him watch over Arthur and he wouldn't be as lonely anymore when it came to magic.

"No, it wouldn't work like that." She looked away from Merlin and went and sat at her table.

"Why shouldn't it?" Merlin frowned, joining her.

"Because I can only do water based magic. I command the water to do as I wish but I cannot command anything else." She bowed her head in shame.

"How do you know?" Merlin asked gently.

"Because I've tried. I tried and I tried but May said that it would never work and to give up and-" Annabeth started rambling.

"May? Who's May?" Merlin frowned, interrupting the flow of her words.

"My servant who was killed by Camelot guards for witchcraft. I told Arthur about her once I think. May was more than just a witch. She was a great prophetess too." Annabeth sniffed at the memory. She still missed May, who'd been the closest thing to a friend that she'd ever had.

"And she told you that you'd never be able to use real magic?" Merlin asked, trying to get the facts right.

"I do use real magic!" Annabeth hissed, looking around the room to check that all the doors and windows were tightly closed. "I just don't have the ability to broaden my range like you do!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Merlin apologised quickly. He didn't want her to throw him out. They still had so much to talk about.

"It's okay. I overreact a bit when it comes to magic. What I can do is so very limited and being so far away from a large body of water irritates me a bit."

"Why?" Merlin was intrigued by this new bit of information.

"I'm a daughter of the lake of Avalon. That's where I get all my water based abilities from. I'm more comfortable living close to it because it's a part of me." Annabeth explained.

"Oh." Merlin didn't quite know how to respond or what a daughter of the lake was.

"Yeah. Merlin, I think you should go now. Arthur will be missing you and I have other jobs to do as it's my only day off today." Annabeth stood up, knowing the conversation was over.

"Okay." Merlin stood up. "But, if it's okay, can I come back another day and talk to you some more. I think there's so much we can learn from each other." He asked, hovering by the front door.

"Of course Merlin. I'll send word to you when you can come." She smiled warmly.

"Good. I, uh, mean, okay. I look forward to hearing from you Annabeth." Merlin smiled awkwardly.

He opened the front door and Annabeth followed him out. Leaning against the doorframe, she watched him walk up to the castle, a small smile on her face.

She'd just made a new friend.

**REVIEW PLEASE! **

**Reviews really do make my day and make me smile too. The more reviews I get, the more likely I am to update on Thursdays as well. Just letting you know ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'd just like to say before I start the chapter, that it is dedicated to Magic Whispers, who really wanted me to do a Thursday update **

"Annabeth?"

"Come in!" She called.

Her back was to the door and the room was dimly lit with all the windows tightly shut and any cracks in the walls plugged up with rags. A broom with its handle sharpened into a stake was poised in her right hand, the sharpened tip aimed at the floor. Annabeth's sea blue eyes were scanning to floor in a predatory way, looking for the last of her victims.

"What _are_ you doing?" Arthur asked half-laughing as he strode into the room.

"Close the door and I'll show you." Annabeth said, not looking at him.

Obligingly, Arthur slammed the door shut, causing a startled rat to scamper out from under Annabeth's neatly made bed.

"AHA!" Annabeth yelled, pouncing and staking the rat, causing it to squeal in agony. "Take THAT vermin!" She cried victoriously, scraping the dying rat off into a pot of boiling water.

"The little things have been driving me nuts all afternoon." She explained, wiping her hands on her apron, noticing Arthur's bemused expression. She grinned at him triumphantly.

"Things?" Arthur inquired, folding his arms.

He looked over into the pot and immediately regretted doing it. At least a dozen black rat corpses floated on the surface of the boiling water and their own blood.

"Ugh! That's disgusting!"

"I know." Annabeth nodded sympathetically. Of course it was disgusting but it needed to be done none the less. No way was she getting the plague or any other disease. No way.

Arthur backed away from the pot and saw that Annabeth was back over at the sink, washing the blood off of the broom handle. He smiled at her, gathering that she was obsessive over cleaning things. He liked discovering bits and pieces about her character, even though he hardly knew her. It was like his own personal challenge or puzzle and it amused him at the very least.

"So, Merlin got you to let me see you from time to time then, huh? So how did he do it?" Arthur asked, starting up a conversation.

"Well, I'm a sucker for his sticky-out ears and clumsy ways. I think I may have just fallen in love with him. I'd do anything he asked me to." Annabeth sighed dreamily.

"What? Really?" Arthur was so shocked that it masked the edge of disappointment in his voice.

"No!" Annabeth snorted as she put away the broom. "But don't tell him I said that or he'll be crushed!"

"I'll make an effort not to." Arthur smiled.

There was a slightly awkward pause. From opposite sides of the rat boiling cauldron they both stared at the floor.

"So what can I-?"

"So I was wondering if-?"

They started speaking at the same time, stopped and laughed.

"You first." Arthur said courteously.

"No sire, you go first." Annabeth smiled. Then, noticing Arthur about to protest, she added "I insist."

"So I was wondering if you danced." Arthur asked sheepishly, looking at his feet.

"Do I dance?" Annabeth repeated slowly. "Only if I'm being led by a confident man." She decided.

"So then may I have this dance?" Arthur bowed, holding out his hand.

"You dance?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow and suppressed the urge to laugh.

"A little but I assure you, my confidence makes up for what I lack in skills more than adequately." He grinned, causing Annabeth to laugh.

"Then of course I'll dance with you!"

Annabeth accepted Arthur's hand and slowly rolled into his arms.

"Very nice." Arthur smirked.

"You haven't seen anything yet." She winked, rolling back out but not letting go of Arthur's hand. "Prince Arthur, would you like me to teach you my favourite dance?"

"It would be my honour." Arthur bowed, speaking the honest truth.

"Then do as I say." She smiled, remembering a time that seemed like eons ago…

_It was one of her mother's rare days when she felt well enough to venture out of her room. A young Annabeth peered through a crack in the kitchen door and its frame to see her mother dancing with a strange man and laughing, something she hadn't done in years. Annabeth raised a chubby hand to wipe the tears from her eyes and silently pushed the door open so she could get a better look._

"_Hello little one," The man beamed at her, noticing her watching them after a little while._

"_Annabeth, come meet your uncle." Her mum beckoned her warmly. _

_Shyly, Annabeth sidled through the crack of the door, sucking in the little of her puppy fat that remained around her stomach before silently closing it behind her. As almost always, she was squeaky clean and almost pink from where she'd scrubbed her skin so hard to wash all the dirt off. She was dressed in a white pinafore with her mousy brown hair tied up in a matching white satin ribbon._

"_My, what big eyes you have there, Annie." Her uncle crouched down in front of her, speaking in a heavy Scottish accent. _

_His skin was pasty white like her mother's and a forest of thick brown bristles dominated most of his head. His eyes were green like her mother's too but not like hers. She had turquoise eyes, the colour of the lake water. They changed with the colour of the lake too. May had always found that so interesting about her._

"_My name is Annabeth," she frowned, staring straight into his eyes, trying to look into his soul._

"_Hello Annabeth. My name is Stuart Potter. I am your mother's brother." He beamed creating wrinkles next to his barely visible eyes._

_Annabeth looked at her mother for confirmation of the fact and when her mother nodded encouragingly, Annabeth curtseyed._

"_It is very nice to meet you Uncle Stuart." She smiled prettily, watching her uncle melt and wrap around her finger, just like every visitor to the house._

"_Do you know how to dance Annabeth?" Stuart asked, the smile on his face never wavering._

"_No sir, I don't." She shook her head, wondering where he was going with this._

"_Would you like me to teach you?" _

"_Ooh! Yes please!" Annabeth giggled excitedly._

"_Well then little niece of mine, I shall teach you to dance!" He clapped his hands together and stood up. "For the purpose of my teaching, your mother will dance the male's part while you, little Annabeth, will be the pretty young lady."_

_Annabeth's mother beamed in delight but did not speak as she glided over to stand in front of her daughter._

"_Grace, you must take Anna's right hand in your left and hold it above her head. The man's left hand must always hold the woman's right." Stuart instructed._

"The man's left hand must always hold the woman's right." Annabeth repeated her uncle to Arthur, following her memory.

"_Hold her hand in a way that allows her to spin easily on the spot…"_

"Hold her hand in a way that allows her to spin easily on the spot…"

"…_For both partners, the leftover hand must be held behind the back. The man at a 90 degree angle and the woman however she chooses..."_

"…For both partners, the leftover hand must be held behind the back. The man at a 90 degree angle and the woman however she chooses…"

"_Now Grace, step forward slowly (remember to keep Anna's arm above her head) and Anna step back but spin on the spot as you do so…."_

"Now Arthur, step forward slowly (remember to keep my arm above my head) while I step back but spin on the spot as I do so…."

"_That's it," Stuart encouraged. "Grace, now you must guide Anna to spin around the pot. Anna, do you think you can spin any faster?"_

"Well done Sire." Annabeth encouraged. "Now try and guide me in a circle around the pot. Be warned, I'm going to spin faster."

"Okay," Arthur chuckled, obeying Annabeth's instructions.

"_Now here comes the next bit of the dance. Annabeth, on your next step you're going pull your free arm out from behind your back and place it on your mother's shoulder. Grace, put your free hand on her waist and steady her. Now Annabeth, lean backwards – that's it – and tilt your head back a bit too, looking in the opposite direction like this." Stuart repositioned Annabeth's head._

"Brace yourself but don't show it. We're going to stop on the count of 3 and when we stop, you're going to put your hand on my waist to steady me." Annabeth instructed.

"Okay." Arthur nodded, concentrating.

"One. Two. Three." Annabeth swung in and placed her hand on Arthur's shoulder as he put his hand on her waist.

"Now lean forwards." Annabeth instructed, leaning back and tilting her head.

They stood still for a moment.

"And up again."

When they stood up straight, still in the dance position, Annabeth blanched. They were so close. She could smell him. She could kiss him if she wanted to.

But no, it was wrong. She couldn't.

"That's all I have time to teach you today." She pulled herself away from her memories and Arthur's arms. "Curfew is soon and I need to dispose of these rat corpses." She shuddered, glancing over at her little furry corpses.

"Can I not stay for just a bit longer?" Arthur asked pleadingly.

He'd enjoyed dancing with her and he didn't want it to end.

He never wanted his time with her to end.

"No you can't. I'm teaching tomorrow so I need to rest. And I need to clean the pot." Annabeth turned her back on Arthur and started filling up a bucket of water to douse the flames with.

"Then can I help you at all?" He offered, desperate to stay.

"You? Clean? Oh please my lord, don't make me laugh!" Annabeth chuckled.

"I've cleaned before!" Arthur told her indignantly.

"Somehow I don't think Merlin or Gwen would agree with you there." Annabeth laughed, pouring the water over the flames so only a dozen candles littered about lit up the room.

"How do you know Gwen?" Arthur asked sharply.

"Calm down sire. She lives in the next street and repaired my cloak when it ripped last week." She said defensively. "I'm tutoring her next door neighbour's children so she's seen me walk them home a few times."

Arthur didn't say anything.

"You really should go now." Annabeth insisted darkly, catching Arthur's mood.

She didn't watch as Arthur left without another word, slamming the door behind him as he entered the dark.

**Oops. This went up a little later than I planned. At least it's still Thursday (in the UK at least)!**

**PLEASE review :D**

**See you on Sunday **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Annabeth stared transfixed at the door for a long while after Arthur had slammed it shut.

Why had he snapped at her? She didn't understand why he'd turned on her so suddenly. Was it something she'd said? Was it the dance? Was it mentioning she knew Gwen…

"No," She whispered, mortified, figuring out what had happened. "NO!" she threw the bucket in her hands at the closed door.

Gwen was his girlfriend. He loved her. That was it. He loved her and didn't want Annabeth to know her in case it ruined things. But ruined what? It could only be ruined if he felt for her, for Annabeth, too. And he did. He'd shown signs that he was interested in her, maybe even obsessed. He always wanted to see her a

But it was wrong. He shouldn't want to see her and she shouldn't want to see him now that she'd realised the truth.

"The thing is, sometimes it's hard to stay away from someone." She told herself angrily.

_You Idiot girl!_

Angrily, she grabbed the flint off the table and picked up the heavy pot.

"Be light." She snapped at it and instantly, the water didn't weigh a thing.

She stormed out of the front door and round the side of her house to where a small hole had been dug in the earth. She chucked the contents of the pot into the hole and stared at the water, making the earth absorb it all. She then threw several logs into the hole with unnecessary force before throwing herself down next to the pit and starting a fire with the flint.

She watched it, glaring at the fire as if it were its fault that she couldn't be with Arthur. She felt hopeless and couldn't think straight as anger, confusion, frustration and desperation boiled in her blood as the flame grew and grew.

"Someone is going to get hurt, aren't they?" She asked the fire, her voice trembling a bit. "And it's going to be me."

She walked back around inside the house, going slowly at first before breaking into a run. She slammed the door and bolted it behind her and locked all the windows. She clumsily re-hung the pot over the smoking fire pit and hastily put the flint away. She stripped, pulling all her clothes off and wrestling into a blue cotton night gown. She didn't know what to do with herself except try to ignore the inner torment.

That night, Annabeth fell asleep crying whilst scrubbing out the big pot.

"Merlin? Merlin! MERLIN!" Arthur called, striding down the corridor.

_Clang! CRASH!_

Merlin stumbled and tripped out of a nearby room.

"What the hell were you doing?" Arthur demanded.

"Preparing the room like you told me to. Our guest has some very odd requests sire." Merlin frowned, looking back into the room.

"What? Why?" Arthur interrogated.

"Look." Merlin jerked his head at the door.

Arthur strode past his servant and looked into the guest room. 15 little brown puppies were chasing each other around the room, creating chaos.

"What in the blazes?" Arthur gaped.

"Our guest requires that he has 15 brown puppies to lick him clean every day. I've tried to get them to stay in their basket but they won't!" Merlin whined.

"I can get them to stay." Annabeth growled, pushing past Arthur and into the room. "QUIET!" She roared.

Everyone in the room (including the other servants) and the puppies immediately stopped moving.

"Sit!" She commanded. The puppies sat.

"Good dogs. Now back into your basket." She ordered. The dogs obeyed.

"Now stay." The dogs whined in protest but did as they were told.

"There, now that wasn't so hard now, was it?" She asked sourly, turning back to Merlin and Arthur.

"Th-th-"

"Thanks Annabeth." Merlin finished for Arthur.

"What are you doing up here? I thought you didn't like coming up to the castle." Arthur managed to speak.

"I came to talk to you Sire as a matter of urgency. Is there somewhere we can go and talk in private?" Annabeth was trying her best to keep calm.

"Yes, follow me." Arthur nodded. "Merlin, you can stay here and finish preparing the rooms for our guest."

And with that he led Annabeth to the council chambers.

Merlin went back into the room and waited for Arthur and Annabeth to get to the chamber before following them. The door wasn't fully closed and there was no light in the outside corridor, enabling Merlin to listen in to their conversation.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU PLAYING AT INVITING HIM HERE?" Annabeth was yelling.

"As the crown prince, I can invite any of Lord of Camelot to come and stay in the castle." Arthur told her calmly.

"BULLSHIT! I know exactly why you've invited him here. You want to find out how firm his hold on me is! Don't deny it!" Merlin saw Annabeth pacing through the crack in the door.

"How did you find out I've invited him here?" Arthur asked uncomfortably.

"HE CAME TO MY HOUSE AND GLOATED IN MY FACE!" She shrieked. "Did it ever occur to you to ask me if you wanted information? I was actually planning on running away from here but now the Peter is here I can't! He's going to be watching me like a hawk and having his servants follow me! I'm completely under his thumb now and it's all your fault!" She'd stopped pacing where Merlin could see her and was crying, her body visibly shaking.

"Annabeth," Arthur sighed, walking over to her and holding her at arm's length. "Annabeth, I'm sorry."

Annabeth shook him off and looked away but Arthur just stepped forward again. He took her hand in his and lifted her chin with the other so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"Anna, the reason I got him here is to expose him. I looked it up and it's illegal to buy wives in Camelot. I'm going to get him to confess to me and then I'm going to free you. Isn't that what you want?" Arthur asked earnestly.

"Why do you want to help me?"Annabeth sniffed.

"Because I'm going to be King one day and I need to take care of everyone in my kingdom." Arthur told her sincerely.

"I know but you wouldn't go to this much trouble for anyone. Tell me the truth."

Merlin leaned in closer to the door, unsure if he really wanted to hear what Arthur had to say.

"I-I-I- I find you interesting as a person. I want to be your friend Annabeth and as your friend it's my job to help you however I can. So listen to me now. I'm going to free you from Lord Orion, no doubt about it. Now go home Anna and let me take care of it all. Okay?" Arthur stared deep into her sea blue eyes.

"Of course Sire. I'm sorry to have questioned you." She nodded stiffly and stepped out of his reached. "Thank you for your time Prince Arthur."

And with that she walked silently out of the room and straight into Merlin.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been listening. I-" Merlin started making excuses.

"Stop speaking. You don't want to get in trouble with Arthur. Now follow me." She whispered, taking Merlin's hand and leading him off down the dark passage.

**Special thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter :D I know it's a bit patchy but I really want to get into the main story now. :P Apologies on my part but reviews are always greatly appreciated guys. ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**I AM SO SORRY! I know this should've been out last Sunday but I didn't have access to a computer! Please forgive me!**

**Chapter 8**

"Where are we going?" Merlin asked for the third time, trailing through the trees after Annabeth.

"I want to show you something." Annabeth called back, also for the third time, hitching up her skirt to step over a log.

Merlin huffed and frowned but didn't make any further comments as it was obvious he'd just have to wait until they got there to find out where they were going and why.

They continued walking for a few more minutes in silence before Annabeth disappeared from sight and into the mouth of a gigantic cave. At the opening of the cave, Merlin hesitated before following, too curious to see what Annabeth had to show him to listen to his own common sense.

As Merlin stepped inside the mouth of the cave, his vision was instantly cut off by a wall of black.

"_Don't_ move." Annabeth called out sharply. Her voice sounded far away and echoed off the walls.

"Annabeth…" Merlin called out nervously.

"Ssh!" Annabeth hissed back. "Glow."

"What?" Merlin asked, confused.

Two pinpricks of dazzling blue flared up in the darkness to his right before disappearing again, moments later.

"Anna-?"

"Sssh!"

On the floor at Merlin's feet, a small drop of water began to glow a silvery blue. Another droplet nearby it began to shine in the dark too. And another. And another. And another. And then some on the ceiling!

In a reverse ripple, bit of water began glowing until a huge pool in the centre of the cave was emitting a glow powerful enough to eradicate all traces of darkness.

"Wow, this is beautiful…" Merlin told her, looking around him in amazement.

"I thought so too." Annabeth nodded, strolling off around the pool at a leisurely pace "May told me about it a very long time ago. I wasn't even sure if it was a real place or if I'd just imagined it for a while. One day after I moved to Camelot I decided to try and find it – I hadn't started teaching then – hoping it was real. It's so beautiful, even more so than I'd ever dreamed of. It's such a shame non-magical people can't get in here." She added wistfully.

"Why can't they?" Merlin asked, crouching down at the edge of the pool and making small ripples with his fingers.

"A spell cast by a wizard long ago," She sighed. "I don't know the story but I bet it was a good one."

Merlin nodded in response, staring at the water, transfixed.

"Can you do any water based magic Merlin?"

"Yes but only a bit." he frowned, looking up at Annabeth.

"Would you how me please?" Annabeth asked, stopping when she was on the opposite side of the pool to him and looking at him expectantly.

"Oh yeah, of course." Merlin didn't seem too shocked by this request. He'd told her he had magic after all. It was only a matter of time before she asked to see it.

Straightening up, Merlin extended his left hand so it hovered above the water. He whispered some words under his breath, causing his eyes to flash gold.

Water in the center of the pool started bubbling slowly at first but then faster and louder, the area where the water boiled steadily growing bigger whilst the water around it sloshed about in miniature waves before suddenly stopping. The water's surface became calm again.

"Is that-?"

"Ssh!" Merlin hushed her, getting payback for earlier.

Three giant bubbles had formed on the water's smooth surface and were now filling up with water. The more water they filled up with, the higher the bubbles rose into the air until the three balls of water were high up in the air, supported by a thin stream of water each.

"Wow!"Annabeth gasped as they exploded into droplets, creating millions of small ripples on the water's surface.

"That's the first time I've tried that too." Merlin grinned, panting slightly from lack of breath – he'd been muttering magic the entire time.

"Well it was brilliant." She smiled kindly.

"Can you- can you show me what you can do?" Merlin asked almost shyly.

"Of course," Annabeth grinned. "One water show coming right up."

Merlin watched her over the other side of the pool silently as the grin was wiped off of Annabeth's face. Her expression became that of steely concentration as she walked to the edge of the pool.

"Freeze." She commanded, her eyes flaring up ice blue instead of vanishing, they remained that way.

She stepped on the frozen surface, immune to the cold radiating from it. She slowly walked to the middle of the pool, narrowly avoiding the angry jets of boiling water smashing through the ice's surface. When she reached the exact center of the pool, the ice transformed into huge, violent waves that crashed and thrashed around the thin, little iceberg that she was standing on. Though Annabeth's small icy island remained perfectly still, the waves crashing around it grew and grew until a typhoon had formed a barrier between her and the rest of the world, violently spraying cold water at anyone who dared get within 10 feet of it.

But then the water transformed again. It all began rushing toward the center of the pool, all of it becoming trapped in an expanding bubble, sloshing about but not spilling a drop. Once all the water in the cave had been drawn into the middle of the cave there was no sign of Annabeth.

It was then that something clicked inside Merlin's head. She was at the center of all the water!

"Annabeth! Annabeth stop it! Don't drown yourself!" He shouted.

The ball of water started contracting and putting pressure on Annabeth's relatively small body. She really was trying to kill herself.

"Aqua dimittet eam!" Merlin shouted, pointing at the ball of water.

It exploded as if it had been hit by a lightning bolt. Water erupted everywhere, making the cavern look almost exactly like it had before.

"Annabeth!" Merlin shouted again.

He hadn't seen her fall but there Annabeth was, face up, eyes closed, floating on the water's eerily still surface.

"Annabeth!" He called again.

She didn't respond.

"Introduces eam ibi." He hissed.

Annabeth's body began to slowly glide over the water to him. Merlin waded into the pool until he was knee deep and picked up Annabeth's body as she floated into his arms. He staggered out of the water, expecting her to be heavy with all the water soaking her dress but to his surprise, she barely weighed a thing.

"Annabeth?" Merlin asked gently.

Again, no response.

Quickly, Merlin checked she was still breathing and let out a sigh of relief when she was, evenly if it was rather slowly.

"Annabeth, if you can hear me, I'm going to take you to the castle so Gaius can look at you, okay?" Merlin told her, striding out of the cave.

**I know I don't deserve it but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review (even if it just to tell me off for posting the chapter almost a week late). It really means a lot to me, especially as a great number of you have favourited and alerted this story. It only takes a minute. Thank you.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you so much to all those people who reviewed! :D It really made my day **

**Chapter 9**

"Where the hell have you been" Arthur demanded as Merlin entered Gaius' chambers.

He (Arthur) was sitting on Gaius' table while the physician bandaged up his arm. Lord Orion and Gwain were also in the room, standing across from Arthur, arms folded, looking in opposite directions. None of the men so much as looked at Merlin as he entered the room.

"What happened?" Merlin asked, momentarily distracted.

"Combat training. Lord Orion and I got a bit too violent with each other and when Arthur tried to intervene, Orion broke through Arthur's armour." Gwain explained bitterly.

"It's only a flesh wound." Gaius consoled.

"Thank you Gaius," Arthur nodded appreciatively. "Now Merlin, where were y-?"

Arthur turned to look at his servant and blanched. In Merlin's arms Annabeth lay limp and still dripping wet.

"What the hell happened?" He asked panicking and jumping off the table.

"Don't worry, she's still breathing. I checked. Arthur, she tried to drown herself." Merlin looked at him meaningfully.

"Why would she try and drown herself?" Gaius frowned.

"I don't know." Merlin lied, feigning distress. He looked over at Lord Orion who was frowning however there was no trace of concern about him.

"Does it matter why she tried to do it? The poor girl's just half drowned and you're doing nothing to help her." Lord Orion spoke up. He had quite a gruff voice (that both Merlin and Arthur recognised from the previous when they'd followed Annabeth into the wood) for a man that round, who many would gladly mistake for jolly if it weren't for the evil glint in his eyes. Looking at him, Merlin would never have guessed he was only 25 years old; the bushy blonde moustache and thinning straw-like hair on top of his head paired with his excess fat aged him about 10 years.

"Yes Peter, you are right. My arm can wait Gaius; it's only a flesh wound after all. Tend to Annabeth." Arthur nodded, moving out of Merlin's way.

"Through here Merlin. We're going to have to put her on your bed I'm afraid. Gwain, if you could take off the bed cover and help get her on the bed, she needs to be laid on her stomach with her head to the side so she can breathe." Gaius instructed.

"Of course Gaius," Gwain nodded, following Merlin and the old man up to Merlin's room.

"So you know Annabeth then?" Lord Orion asked, confronting Arthur.

_Lie. _A small voice in Arthur's head (that sounded a lot like Annabeth) ordered him.

"Merlin told me about her. She's a friend of his and the bubbling fool doesn't shut up in the mornings so consequentially I've heard a bit about her. I also had to raid her house the other day when she was suspected of being a witch." Arthur didn't exactly lie but he didn't tell the whole truth either. He didn't have to really anyway if he thought about it. The only person he really had to answer to was his father, the king.

"A witch you say?" Orion asked, intrigued.

"It turns out that she was only a story-teller. A honest mistake." Arthur shrugged.

"How… _fortunate_ indeed." Orion slimed, grinning disturbingly.

"So how do _you_ know Annabeth then?" Arthur asked, quickly turning the conversation around and hoping he'd catch Orion out.

"I knew her a few years back. I met her in an orchard one day and fell in love with her at first sight. I wanted to make her my wife but my father disapproved of the match. Annabeth accepted this out of respect for my father she left the town and came to Camelot. I'd not seen her since until today." Orion lied smoothly.

"What a shame. Why did your father disapprove of her?" Arthur inquired.

"He had no noble blood or family and barely a penny to her name," Orion sighed. "If she'd have let me I would have married her anyway."

Arthur opened his mouth to respond when the door burst open and a short, plump woman with fly-away blonde hair and flour-covered clothes bustled in, carrying a heavily packed basket.

"Where is she? Where's Annabeth? What have you done with the poor girl?" She demanded, her voice tainted with a faint Scottish accent.

"And who are you?" Arthur demanded, angry that his conversation had been interrupted.

"May Miller, the royal miller's wife and good friend of Annabeth's so where is she? I saw the boy carry her up here so don't hide her from me." she napped.

"How dare you speak to me in that way? Do you know who I am?" Arthur's voice rose.

The insolence of this woman!

"You are the crowned prince Arthur and your companion here is Lord Orion and I know I'm speaking out of term but those men are going to have to strip off poor Annabeth's clothes and I won't allow it!" She shrilled.

"What's going on?" Gwain asked, emerging from Merlin's room. "May, what are you doing here?"

"You know this woman?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"Of course I do. She's the miller's wife. I talk to her husband sometimes," Gwain laughed. "What brings you here May?"

"Annabeth. I was on my way to visit her when I saw that boy bring her half-drowned body up to the castle. I have some fry clothes for her here but I don't want the boy to undress her." She explained impatiently.

"Then by all means then, come right through."Gaius appeared next to Gwain. "Merlin shall be out shortly to finish bandaging your arm sire if you do not mind." He added.

"Of course not. Do what you can for Annabeth as she is more important right now." Arthur nodded.

Mrs Miller swept past them both and whispered something in Gwain's ear before entering the room with Gaius.

"Right, Lord Orion, would you care to join myself and some of the other knights at the tavern?" Gwain asked, bounding down the steps.

"I would be delighted. If you give me a few minutes to change out of my armour in order to have it cleaned, I shall join you in the courtyard." Orion grinned and strode out of the room, causing some of Gaius' jars and vials to fall over due to his heavy footfalls.

"What did she say to you?" Arthur asked Gwain the moment Lord Orion was out of earshot.

"Get him out of here." He replied mysteriously before leaving Arthur in the room on his own.

Inside the room, Annabeth still hadn't woken up. Merlin had moved all her hair up onto the pillow and off her neck and was now attempting to dry the last of the water out of it. Gaius was creating a healing compress to go on her forehead and Mrs Miller was laying out some clothes on a chair.

"You know why she tried to drown herself I take it?" She looked straight at Merlin, breaking the silence.

"No, not really." Merlin frowned.

"She's been sold to be Lord Orion's wife," she revealed to them with disgust. "By her own servants too."

"That's a pretty dangerous accusation to make, especially of a Lord of Camelot." Gaius warned.

"But it's true." she told him.

"Annabeth told me about that too." Arthur said from the doorway.

No one had heard him coming but they weren't fazed in the slightest by his presence.

"Yes, well she isn't lying and I can prove it." Mrs Miller smiled confidently.

"You can?" Arthur asked eagerly.

"She told me about the contract between Lord Orion and her old servants. Find it and she's not only right, but she's free as well."

"But the contract could be anywhere!" Merlin reminded them.

"I don't think so. Orion is bound to keep it close if it could get him arrested." May shook her head.

"Well I'm sorry to interrupt but Prince Arthur, Merlin, I must ask you to leave now whilst Mrs Miller and I change Annabeth into some dry clothes."

"Of course. We'll leave you to it." Arthur gave Annabeth one long last look before heading out of the door. "Come on Merlin."

Merlin folded up the towel and handed it to Mr Miller before following Arthur out into the main chamber.

"Do you think we should go look for the contract?" Merlin asked, picking up the bandage.

"I think… we should wait for Annabeth to wake up and tell us what she wants us to do." Arthur decided.

_Save me,_ the small Annabeth-sounding voice in Arthur's head whispered.

_I will_, Arthur thought back.

**PLEASE review! I got three for the last chapter, could I get 4 for this one? I'll give you virtual cookies and a Thursday update ****J**

**Well now I've posted this I'm off to visit my little brother, Arthur! :D **

**Don't forget to review!**


	10. Chapter 10

Annabeth Potter was used to waking up alone.

She'd lived on her own for the past 3 years while Orion prolonged his decision about when to stop toying with her and finally marry her to put her out of her misery.

Before that she'd lived with Laurel and Robert for 4 years in her island home. Laurel and Robert (who were actually her servants) avoided her like the plague unless she needed them so really, they only saw each other twice a day: Laurel to help dress and undress her – once in the mornings when she'd woken up and once in the evenings when she was getting ready for bed. After the first year Laurel came less and less often until Annabeth told her not to bother showing up (as was Laurel's intention) and dressed herself. Robert always came to her twice a day also. Once to ask her what her menu for the day was and once to ask if she needed anything so he knew in advance when he went on his daily morning shopping trip into the nearest town. Unlike Laurel, Robert didn't openly despise his genuinely caring mistress, not that he got better pay for it however it did give him the satisfaction of knowing that he'd hurt her just that little bit more when he betrayed her and signed the contract selling her to Lord Orion.

In the 2 years before her mother and uncle died, Annabeth woke up in her room on her own. This was only because she had turned 13 and was being treated like a grown up and according to Grace Potter grown-ups woke up on their own. Before that May (at least when she'd been alive) or her mother (on her better days) were there to wake her up in the mornings. Unfortunately, Annabeth had been 13 a very long time ago. 8 years ago actually and waking up on her own had become a fact of life to her with only Peter Orion to look forward to in life and that was not very promising.

So yes, Annabeth Potter was used to waking up alone. What she was not used to was waking up in a strange place that she did not know, nor was she used to waking up with a splitting headache. As she sat up in the small dark room she winced and folded forward, clutching her head. Her brain was throbbing and felt like it was full of rocks. She tried to remember what happened, why she was there.

Images flashed behind her eyelids: Orion barging into her house, yelling at Arthur, taking Merlin to her magic cave, being surrounded by water, feeling safe and home for the first time in a long time then remembering that Orion was waiting for her back in Camelot, how she'd rather die than go back and marry him, water closing in on her, putting more and more pressure on her body, granting wish until…

Nothing.

Just blackness and words. Words that alone made no sense but together didn't quite connect into anything understandable. Voices: Merlin's, Arthur's, one's she couldn't quite recognise and one that sounded a lot like May's…

Her brain was overloading and hurt even worse than before, causing tears to spring to her eyes.

"Annabeth?" The door to the room creaked open though Annabeth couldn't lift her head to see it.

She could feel the eyes of two men on her a she sat there, folded in half on a stranger's bed however she didn't move. She didn't speak. She just wanted to scream.

"Annabeth?" the vaguely familiar voice of an old man asked. He sounded closer than he had before. "Annabeth can you hear me?"

Annabeth groaned in response.

"I'll take that a yes then. My name is Gaius. Do you know who I am?" He asked slowly.

Annabeth heard Gaius scrape a chair across the floor and place it near her head. A long creak let her know he'd sat down.

"Yes. I remember." She croaked.

"Good. Very good. Now do you know where you are?" He went on.

"No." Her head hurt so much!

"You're in the castle in Camelot. Do you know what Camelot is?" Gaius checked.

"The Pendragon Kingdom. Where in the castle are we?" just ignore the pain. Ignore the pain!

"We're in my chambers. DO you know why you're here?" He asked.

The pain was becoming unbearable. She couldn't find it in her to speak anymore; she was too scared she'd burst out screaming and wake up the whole castle so she improvised and did a weird kind of nod instead and hoped Gaius got the message.

"Can you tell me why you're here?" He asked, understanding.

Annabeth did a weird head shake.

"Why not?" the frown was evident in Gaius' voice.

Carefully, Annabeth extracted one of her hands from her tangled hair and pointed at her head.

"There's something wrong with your head?" He interpreted.

Annabeth nodded.

"What is it?" He asked, suddenly urgent.

"It hurts," she whimpered. "like it might explode. It feels so heavy."

"I'll go get something for it. Merlin is here for you should you need anything." Gaius stood up and hurried away.

Annabeth sat there, her head in her lap, trying not to think. The pain was maddening. She pulled her hair in an attempt to distract herself with a lesser pain but it failed unlike usual. She tried singing quietly to herself but she could not think of any songs. None of her usual tricks were working and that scared her.

"Do you want to sit up?" Merlin asked finally, breaking the silence.

"No." she groaned.

"Why not?" Merlin inquired, taking Gaius' vacated seat.

"My head my fall off." She told him seriously.

"What if I help you? I promise your head won't fall off." He compromised.

"I want to try it on my own first." She told him stubbornly.

Merlin didn't say anything but just watched silently as Annabeth very slowly pulled herself up, still clutching her head, and leant against the wall behind her. "Merlin, could you, you know?" She gasped.

"Uh, sure." Merlin frowned.

With a quick glance at the closed door he got up from the chair to stand beside her head and placed a hand on either side of her face.

"Poena licentia." Her whispered, his eyes flashing gold.

Annabeth breathed a sigh of relief and visibly relaxed as the pain was lifted from her head.

"Thanks Merlin." She smiled.

"So why did you try and drown yourself?" Merlin asked immediately, cutting straight to the point.

"I didn't." She replied simply, stretching out on the bed.

"Annabeth, I'm not stupid." Merlin scowled.

"And I'm not a liar." She responded coolly.

"Then what happened?" He demanded uncharacteristically.

"I accidently tried to kill myself." She was so calm about the matter. Too calm in fact.

"Annabeth." Merlin sighed.

"Say what you want! I don't know what happened! I was fine. I felt safe – a lot safer than I've felt in a very long time – and I was in complete control! Then I remembered Peter was back here waiting for me and I panicked. I don't love him Merlin! I don't even like him! I'd rather die than marry him! The water must have picked up on my thoughts because it started putting pressure on my body and I began to drown! What more is there?" Annabeth exploded. "I know you think I'm lying but I'm honestly not. I fear death above all else. I have no reason to lie to you Merlin. I won't gain anything from it." She stared at Merlin, begging him to understand.

"I believe you but what are we going to tell Arthur?" He asked finally.

"That I'm not suicidal maybe?" she suggested bitterly.

"Annabeth, that's not going to be enough," He told her knowingly.

"Fine, how about this: we went for a walk and I fell into a river and you saved me. It was purely accidental." She said offhandedly.

"That won't work. I've already said that you tried to drown yourself. In front of other witnesses too." He confessed.

"WHAT?" She shouted.

"Ssh! You'll wake up the entire castle!" Merlin looked over at the door again.

Angrily, Annabeth threw her legs over the side of her bed and got up. Ignoring Merlin's protests she grabbed a shawl from off of the chair and wrapped it around her shoulders. Not bothering to search for shoes or a cloak, Annabeth stormed out of the room.

"Annabeth, I don't-" Gaius started as she stalked past him but Annabeth ignored him and continued on towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Merlin demanded, running around and blocking her path.

"Home." She growled, attempting to side-step him and failing.

"And where is that exactly/?" He challenged her.

Giving him a dirty look, she opened her mouth to answer when the door opened behind Merlin and Arthur strode in. He paused and looked at the scene before him. Merlin was looking at him with relief on his face as he stood between Annabeth and the door. Gaius had frozen midway through making a potion of some sort and had appeared to be watching Merlin and Annabeth fight, whilst Annabeth stood fuming, fists clenched.

"Annabeth, you're-"

_**THWACK!**_

Annabeth's fist collided with the side of Merlin's head, causing him to crumple to the floor. She then pounced on a nearby table and dragged it around, blocking Gaius off from her before skilfully ducking under Arthur's arms as he jumped forward to restrain her. Crouching low, she kicked out Arthur's knee from behind him but he caught her arm on the way down so they crashed to the floor together.

"I told you I was going to sort it, didn't I?" Arthur told her angrily. "Didn't I?"

"I'm sick and tired of living like this Arthur! I've had enough!" She snapped.

"Where were you trying to go?" He demanded, not moving.

"Back to my house in the towns. I was planning to run whilst he slept." She revealed sourly.

"You can't outrun him Anna." He told her wisely.

"Oh yeah? Just watch me!" She snarled.

She tried to break free but failed as Arthur had sensed what she was going to do next and had tightened his grip accordingly.

"I will not watch you hurt yourself or run away from me," He growled in her ear. "So don't expect me to let you."

"Well I must say Miss Potter, you pack quite a punch. He's out cold." Gaius grimaced. He'd gotten past the table and was now bent over, examining Merlin. "Who taught you to punch like that?"

"My uncle. He believed that every woman should be able to defend herself so I can do a fair amount of physical damage with my fists as well as being able to fight with a sword too." He explained bitterly, allowing Arthur to help her up.

"I see." Gaius mused, turning his gaze back to Merlin.

"Can I go home now?" She asked Arthur expectantly.

"Not quite yet. Stay here with Gaius and Merlin. Let them check you to make sure you're okay. If you pass Gaius' test then I will personally escort you home," Arthur compromised. "Oh, and you'll need to apologise to Merlin as well." He added as an afterthought.

"What? Why?" Annabeth moaned childishly.

"Annabeth, you knocked him out cold! It's the least you could do, especially as he saved your life!" Arthur stated, not truly believing she was arguing with him.

"And who said I wanted saving?" She countered, stepping away from him.

"Annabeth, you will apologise. Now go to your room and rest." Arthur ordered.

She glared up at him, unmoving, her hands clenched into fists.

"Don't even think about it or I won't let you leave the castle." He warned her, stepping out of her punching range.

Making a wordless shriek of annoyance and frustration, Annabeth turned and stalked back to her room, shoving any obstacles violently out of her way. She stormed up the steps and slammed the door shut behind her.

"I'm sorry about that." Arthur apologised to Gaius.

"What for? It's not your fault she punched him."

"Sometimes I feel like everything she does is my fault." Arthur sighed.

"Arthur, you are not responsible for every single action of every single person in Camelot." Gaius nodded wisely.

"Well sometimes I feel like I am." His head drooped.

"Well stop thinking that nonsense sire and get back to bed. You're going to need your full strength if it comes to another fight with her in the morning." Gaius dismissed him.

Shaking his head and looking at the door Annabeth had disappeared into one last time, Arthur left.

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**I got four review for the last chapter, can I get 4 for this one PLEASE?**


	11. Chapter 11

Gaius thought it was too quite. Having some knowledge of women, especially angry ones at that, he expected more: kicking, shouting, smashing and all around general noises of rage to be coming from the room Annabeth had been cooped up in. Women, Gaius had learned very early on in his prolonged life, do not like to be holed up, nor do they like being bossed about and Annabeth did not seem like the type of young lady who did as she was told without putting up a good fight first (which was made evident when she knocked Merlin out in an attempt to escape).

Nevertheless, when there hadn't been a single sound from Annabeth's room for 2 solid hours, Gaius began to worry. Consequentially, he decided that it would be… wise to go and check on the condition of his patient.

Holding a chair as a make shift shield (in case she tried to attack him as she had done with Merlin and Arthur) shakily in his left hand, Gaius slowly made his way up the steps to what was usually Merlin's bedroom.

"Annabeth?" Gaius asked cautiously, creaking open the door to her room.

There was no answer.

"Annabeth?" Gaius asked louder, pushing the door all the way open.

Annabeth wasn't in there.

Gaius stepped inside the room and checked behind the door: nothing.

He checked in the small closet: nothing.

He even checked under the bed: nothing.

It was then that he noticed the covers were off of the bed and the window was open.

Fearing the worst Gaius hurried over to the window and peered out of it. It was one of those moments in his life where he did not know where to let out a sigh of relief or to start worrying so he decided to do both in that order.

Relief that Annabeth had not done the most drastic thing and hung herself out of the window flooded through Gaius for no more than a minute before the worry sunk in that his patient had… well, not escaped as that would imply that she was being kept a prisoner in the castle and by law, Camelot only imprisoned those guilty of crime or those who possessed magic (and as far as the law was aware, Annabeth was not guilty of either of those) but she has run away and as Gaius feared that the girl was slightly mad, this was not a good thing.

"Gaius? Gaius, are you here?" Arthur called from the main room.

"In here my lord," Gaius called back, now leaning out the window and scanning the street below.

"Gaius, where's Annabeth?" Arthur asked slowly, entering the room and searching for the object of his thoughts.

"I was hoping you could tell me sire." Gaius did a lopsided frown, stepping backwards to let Arthur look out the window.

"She escaped?" Arthur asked half in amazement and half stunned.

"Escaped is probably too strong a word sire but yes, in essence she has escaped," Gaius confirmed. "What would you like us to do about it?"

Arthur stood there frozen for a second as his mind tried to find a solution.

"We'll go to her house first and if she isn't there the guards will do a sweep of the city for her. If she isn't found, the knights and I will ride out and search for her." Arthur decided.

"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Merlin asked weakly, wandering up the stairs, clutching the spot where Annabeth had hit him.

"Merlin, are you alright?" Gaius asked quickly before an argument broke out.

"Yes Gaius, I'm fine, just a little dizzy." Merlin nodded, his eyes closing.

"Well I already checked you for concussion and you're fine." Gaius said reassuringly.

Arthur tried to hold back a snigger, causing Merlin to throw him a dirty look.

"Don't laugh. You don't know how strong she is." Merlin snapped.

"After she knocked you out I had to keep her pinned to the floor while she calmed down. Believe me, I know how strong she is." Arthur smirked.

"Isn't your plan to get her back a bit over the top?" Merlin asked, quickly changing the subject.

"No it's not actually Merlin. I have a theory that Miss Potter mentally ill and if I'm right then she needs to be found before she puts herself or others in danger." Gaius backed up Arthur.

"WHAT?" Merlin asked, obviously outraged.

"I have to agree with Merlin there. She's not crazy." Arthur frowned.

"I said that she is ill, not crazy and I suggest you find her quickly sire. Every moment we stand here she gets farther away." Gaius reminded them.

Arthur looked at Gaius for a moment before walking quickly out of the room to alert the guards, too concerned about Annabeth's safety to talk to anyone but the guards anymore.

Arthur paced around in his bedroom like a lion locked in a cage. Already dressed in his armour, he was waiting for the report that she wasn't in the towns. He knew she wouldn't be, his Annabeth was far too clever to stick around if she knew that someone (be in Arthur's or Peter's men) was going to try and bring her back to Camelot.

The door to his room creaked open and Arthur paused in his pacing and looked expectantly as Merlin slipped inside.

"Any news?" Arthur demanded.

"She's definitely not in the castle or the upper town. They've almost finished checking the lower towns but it doesn't look as if she's here." Merlin reported.

"Of course she won't be! She's running away! She's not likely to hang about is she?" Arthur retorted angrily, pacing again.

"Should we really bring her back? Lord Orion will have heard she's missing by now and if we bring her back she'll just get into trouble." Merlin asked tentatively, picking up the silver platter on Arthur's table to use as a shield if need be.

"Annabeth is ill Merlin. She needs help." Arthur had already thought about that and he told Merlin the single thought he'd been repeating over and over again in his head to justify the actions that he knew Annabeth wouldn't want but satisfied his fascination with her.

"But you know she's not ill Arthur!" Merlin protested. _She just has magic and is scared! _He finished off in his head.

"Well I have to defend my actions somehow!" Arthur roared, angry at himself. He kicked a chair for emphasis causing Merlin to flinch. Despite the fact she'd knocked him unconscious he was just as worried for Annabeth's safety as Arthur, possibly even more so as he knew what would happen to her if she was caught using her magi to aid her escape. Merlin was too interested in Annabeth's abilities to allow her to die. To a certain extent he understood Arthur's agitation as they waited for confirmation as they waited for confirmation of what they already knew and therefore kept his mouth shut. What with the decreasing health (and possibly sanity) of his father, the stress of running the kingdom practically on his own and now the latest object of his fascination running off, Merlin wasn't the least bit surprised to see Arthur cracking before his very eyes.

"Excuse me sire?" A guard clone (clone meaning that even by hi voice he was undistinguishable from all the other guards in Camelot) asked gruffly, knocking on the open door. Arthur nodded for him to enter. "We've searched the towns and the entire castle and she's nowhere to be found"-Arthur's face fell-"However two of the guards on the city gates did recall seeing a woman of her description flee the city on foot a while back."

"How long ago?" Arthur asked urgently, trying to keep any nastiness out of his voice.

"Unfortunately they cannot give an exact time but less than an hour ago. They are certain of this." The guard managed to answer Arthur's next question before he asked it.

"Thank you. Take the next hour off as a reward for your hard work," Arthur said as he walked over to his bed to retrieve his sword. "You are dismissed."

The guard bowed and retreated out of the room at the same time as Arthur's most faithful knights entered the room, looking stone-faced.

"What is it?" Arthur asked the second he looked at their faces.

"Lord Orion has heard about the missing girl and wants to help. He's assembled some of his men in the courtyard already and are going to help us find her." Sir Leon informed his prince with half-hidden displeasure.

Arthur swore under his breath, something which didn't go unnoticed by his men.

"I'm sure we'll think of something but every moment we stand here Annabeth gets farther away." Merlin interrupted, reminding Arthur of what was important.

"Merlin, for once you're completely right," Arthur nodded, shocking everyone in the room. "Let's go."

Annabeth ran.

As fast as she could she attempted to fly through the trees, all the while willing herself to go faster. She had no clue to where she was going or what direction she was heading, all she knew was that her life depended on her escape. She couldn't bear to face her punishment from Orion. It would kill her, she was sure of it. She'd learnt long ago not to put anything past that monster and if he was angry enough he would kill her without a second thought and she needed to be alive – she _wanted_ to be alive.

Annabeth was scared that her small backpack of food and her twin samurai fighting blades (Katana swords, a gift from her uncle on her 15th birthday- the last gift he'd ever given her) were slowing her down. The bag didn't feel heavy e but maybe she could be faster without it…

_CRASH!_

The sound of trees breaking and horses galloping through the forest behind her jerked Annabeth from her speculations and caused her to fight the urge to scream in terror.

He'd found her and he was going to kill her. It was all over.

She ran faster, turning the water from her sweat into energy. She could do this; she could out run the horses.

"There she is!" An unfamiliar voice bellowed.

Annabeth risked looking over her shoulder for a moment and saw a flash of red: the colour of Camelot.

If she had the breath she would have let out a sigh of relief. Unlike with Orion's men she would be able to charm, cry or outsmart being captured by them as Arthur's knights were more prone to emotion that Orion's men. She could get herself out of this situation, no doubt about it.

Hearing her pursuers getting dangerously closer, Annabeth suddenly threw herself to the left, rolling onto the floor and back up into a crouch, withdrawing her swords from the harness on her back as she went.

Ducking behind a think bush, she kept low, waiting for them to ride past her. They seemed to notice she wasn't ahead of them anymore however as Annabeth heard the horses slow down to a stop a little was from her concealed hiding place.

"Where did she go?" Merlin asked, panting slightly.

"There no way she could have run off. She must be hiding somewhere." Another unfamiliar voice reasoned.

"Then we dismount and search for her on foot. Remember, Annabeth isn't- well she's ill. There's something wrong with her head, like she isn't in her right mind. She may act out of fear so be prepared to have to fight her but please don't hurt her. She's scared." Arthur ordered.

Not in her right mind? Something wrong with her head? What a load of rubbish! There was nothing wrong with her so how dare he make those accusations? But then… with Arthur there she had no chance of escape. She could run but he could catch her and if he did, she knew too well that he'd not let her go.

Taking a deep breath, Annabeth gripped her swords tighter and prepared herself for a fight.

"Hello beautiful," a voice smirked from her right.

**Reviews please! I know I haven't updated in a while but I've been busy with Christmas and New Year and school work and all that jazz. Reviews only take 1 minute of your time and they actually help me write so please? As a late Christmas present?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Taking a deep breath, Annabeth gripped her swords tighter and prepared herself for a fight._

"_Hello beautiful,"_ _A voice smirked from her right._

Instinctively, Annabeth swung her swords around but the knight was quick and raised his own to block her.

"Leave me alone!" Annabeth growled through gritted teeth, pushing her sword against his.

"I'm afraid I can't sunshine. Prince's orders to take you back to Camelot." He laughed in an irritating, care free manner.

"Well Gwain, you can tell your precious prince I'm not going." She snarled, suddenly removing her blades in order to throw Gwain slightly off balance before swinging one sword over her head and down at him to be blocked by his sword as he regained balance.

"How do you know my name?" Gwain panted, as Annabeth was exerting a lot of pressure on to him.

"I am a witch and a mad-woman, am I not? I know everything." She laughed moodily, staring deep into his eyes. She could not read the minds of those who did not possess any magical ability however the water signatures in and out of their bodies could sometimes tell her exactly what she needed to know.

"Well- Well you don't have a choice. You have to come." Gwain started to sound a little strained

Annabeth narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. She has a choice; there is _always_ a choice. That was the rule her mother taught her and it was what she lived her life by, or so she tried to.

"NO!" she roared, refusing to be stripped of her rights.

Without hesitation she used the flat side of her sword to pull Gwain's knees out from under him before twirling it to block his sword as he fell. From her left hand the sword hand been thrown into the air and without fully looking, Annabeth expertly caught the blade (slicing her hand a little in the process) and thrust the handle into the sensitive area between his legs as he hit the floor, leaving him incapacitated.

It was obvious from that moment that the other knights had found her location. Flipping her sword back around so it was the right way up, she began to run again. She knew she couldn't outrun them but assuming they tackled her one at a time (the most probable option) then she may just be able to get out.

"!" Elyan's war cry alerted her of his position as he jumped of a small pile of rocks, sword aloft."

Annabeth raised one of her own swords to meet with his as his feet landed firmly on the ground. Knowing that later she'd regret her next action Annabeth sliced Elyan's more dominant arm with her free sword before swiftly kicking him on a well-known pressure point on the side of his head.

As Elyan hit the floor, Leon charged at her. She side-stepped him neatly and tripped him up with her foot so he fell on top of Elyan before creating a few shallow cuts on the backs of his legs so that he would be in pain if he attempted to get up, impairing his ability to fight.

"Annabeth, it's time to stop now." Merlin told her warningly, appearing behind her.

"Why can't you all just leave me be? What did I do to deserve this?" Annabeth panted, relaxing momentarily.

"You've managed to capture the hearts of two powerful men. They have the money and the resources to chase you so they will." Merlin told her wisely.

"I think you'll find it's only one Merlin and I didn't want any of this to happen anyway! I'm crazy and I'm dangerous! Merlin, you have to let me run!" She looked imploringly into Merlin's eyes.

"Because of your gift?" He asked, trying to understand.

"Because of my gift and my past. I can look after myself most of the time but there are times when I need to be looked after _properly_ looked after and loved. I can't get this here! I will only endanger the innocent people of Camelot. You have to let me run!" She argued.

"No. We can help-" Merlin started.

"Merlin, you don't understand," She interrupted. "When I'm scared, I'm at my most dangerous; and right now I'm _terrified_. If it will aid my escape, I will not hesitate to use my gift right here and now." Annabeth looked meaningfully at Merlin.

"I- I - " Merlin glanced over Annabeth's shoulder just as a body pressed itself against her back and an arm held a sword to her throat.

"I'm sorry," Percival apologised.

Thinking fast, Annabeth dropped her swords and began crying loud, wet sobs as she shook uncontrollably. Instantly Percival lowered his sword to the floor and spun Annabeth around so he could see her face which was facing the floor. Then without warning she grabbed Percival's wrist with both her hands and laughed as her eyes flashed blue, tossing Percival over her shoulder as she did so, following up with a judo flip and smashing Percival to the floor.

"I'm sorry too." She said icily, picking up her swords once again.

"Annabeth, stop this! What are you hoping to achieve by - by attacking Arthur's knights? What does it prove?" Merlin asked loudly, boldly taking a few steps forward.

"Achieve? Achieve? I achieve freedom; freedom from those too weak to stop me. What do I prove? I prove that I am strong and that I can run if I want to!" Annabeth replied icily, poised for action.

"But why run?" Merlin pressed. "We can protect you."

"Running away guarantees my safety. Living in my house does not." She snapped.

"_We can protect you!_" Merlin pressed.

"From WHAT? You don't even know! I don't even know! I do know that Orion will want revenge on me though for defying him and his will by almost dying! I will not go back!" Annabeth was starting to turn hysterical as she reached her breaking point. She remembered the last time Lord Orion has punished her.

"_No! Leave them alone! They're just children!" Annabeth screeched. _

_She was kneeling down on the hard stone floor in front of a huge, empty fireplace that wasn't lit, making the room unbearably cold. Tears streamed down her faced as she struggled against the ropes chaining her to the mantelpiece. Her once pretty green dress was ripped and torn apart so it barely clung onto her cut and bruised body. In the middle of the room two children, a twin boy and girl,, cowered in the middle of the room as Peter Orion raised his whip again._

"_Stop it! Stop it! Hurt me instead! Leave them alone! Hurt me!" She begged. "It was my idea! All my fault! Please! Leave them be!"_

_Lord Orion paused, whip still raised in the air._

"_I'm sorry," Annabeth managed to calm down a little. "Please, just let them go back to Joe and don't hurt them! I'll take all three f their punishments and my own if you just let them go!"_

"_Anna, no!" The little girl shrieked, her tear-filled brown eyes latched onto Annabeth's._

"_SILENCE!" Peter roared, his back still to Annabeth. _

_The children looked like they were going to scream again but Annabeth slowly shook her head slowly at them and thankfully they remained quiet. _

"_Annabeth, you will be untied and will escort these two children out of the house and to this Joe person who will take them off my land, which they may never set foot on again. You will then return here for your punishment if you don't return then I will send my men after you and they will kill all four of you. Am I understood?" Lord Orion announced slowly._

"_Yes my lord." Annabeth somehow managed to remove all emotion from her voice, leaving it lifeless – just how she felt. All her hopes and dreams had been killed right there and then. They would not survive against Lord Orion's mercenaries even with her magic and combat skills. Magic drained her energy and Joe would not be able to fight for long as he was unskilled with a sword being a tailor. Abigail and Thomas were only five years old and would hardly be able to stand after the whipping they'd received, let alone defend themselves._

"_You have ten minutes." He didn't look into his eyes as he cut the rope around her wrists with a dagger tucked into his belt._

_Annabeth kept her eyes on the children as she stumbled forward._

"_Get up children please and follow me." Annabeth said with as much authority as she could muster as she strode over to the children and helping them up. Abigail fell back over again almost immediately, her skin a sickly white stained with splotches of red. Not wanting to waste any of her precious time, Annabeth scooped her up into her arms and took Thomas' frail hand before leading them down a narrow flight of cold stone steps and out of a small wooden side door where Hoe was waiting with a horse and trap, totally unaware of what was going on._

"_Annabeth, what-?" Joe asked stunned._

"_Get me Abigail's cloak from the trap Thomas. Quickly now." Annabeth ordered, speaking over Joe._

_Thomas let go of Annabeth's hand and ran over to the cart and pulled out 2 brown wool cloaks from amidst the brown sacks before running back to Annabeth's side and handing her the smaller of the two._

"_Good boy. Now put on your own cloak on." She tried to smile but she couldn't- she just couldn't._

"_Annabeth, what happened" Joe demanded, following her as she placed Abigail in amongst the softer sack, making a bed for her._

"_He found out Joe. That's what happened. He found out and started to whip them for my treachery. You need to leave." She told him coldly, tucking in Abigail in by using her cloak as a blanket. She brushed the girl's red hair out f her face and softly kissed her forehead. "You will get better, okay? I'm sorry." She whispered to the child lovingly._

"_You must come too," the small girl rasped._

"_I will. You will go ahead with Tom and Joe and I will meet you there sweetheart, okay? Rest now." Annabeth stroked her hair as the lied, allowing a single tear to roll down her cheek before turning away._

"_Anna, can you please help me?" Tom asked, tugging lightly on her skirts._

"_Of course my brave little man." She managed a small smile as she knelt down to tie up the laces of his worn boots. Thomas was the spitting image of his sister except for the fact that he was taller and more masculine, even in his young age. "Now go get up at the front and keep an eye on your sister for me." Annabeth choked._

_Wordlessly, Thomas gave her a huge hug before reluctantly letting go and clambering up onto his seat to wait patiently for Joe._

"_You are coming right?" Joe asked nervously._

"_I can't. If I go with you, Orion's men will kill us all. You have to take them to Camelot where they will be safe. You can never return here." Annabeth said determinedly._

"_But- but I can't do this without you!" Joe protested._

"_Well you must!" Annabeth said impatiently, lowering her voice. "You must get out of here as fast as you can and stop the children from remembering me. I am not coming. That's the end of it." She lowered her voice even further. "Now go."_

_He glared at Joe. He looked lost and lonely now that she was not coming but he had no choice. He hovered for a moment before leaning in and kissing Annabeth's cheek before walking slowly to the trap and climbing into his seat._

"_Don't look back." She whispered, knowing full well that they could all hear her._

_There was a pause for a moment before Joe tugged on the reins and set the cart on its way. Annabeth stared after it desperately until it vanished into the treeline, not allowing a single tear to fall. She felt empty inside as her only chance of an escape and a loving family fled for their lives._

_A large firm hand reached out from behind her grabbed her shoulder roughly, pulling her back into the room where she was tied back up to the mantelpiece again._

"_This will teach you to defy me again." Peter growled at her, raising his whip._

_Annabeth closed her eyes as the leather came sailing down across her bare shoulder. A ringing filled her ears as the pain spread like wildfire from her shoulder, making the rest of the body numb as she allowed the sensation to fill her up to make her void of all feeling. She never knew how long she'd been there, nor did she know when Orion left her, still tied up and bleeding without food or water for days. She just knelt there with her eyes closed, praying to a god she didn't believe in._

"He left me in a room for days on end, only giving me water and stale bread. I almost died." Annabeth was not aware that she was talking at all but the words just poured out of her mouth as she relived it all, releasing the tears she'd not shed during those times.

"Annabeth," Arthur said softly from behind her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder but making her flinch. "Annabeth he will never do anything like that to you again. I won't allow it You shall never be alone for a single second in the day from now on. I promise."

"Promises are made to be broken." She wept.

"Not my promises I _will_ keep you safe Annabeth. You will see." Arthur vowed.

**Please please please please PLEASE review! **


	13. Chapter 13

_My dear Annabeth,_

_I'm so glad that you're back in Camelot and well again. You gave all of your friends a real fright. I __hope__ no such thing happens again._

_If it is __convenient__ for you, I hope __you__ would __allow me__ to pay you a visit, for __old times'__ sake perhaps? I think of you every day and wish you were __still by my side__. I shall send Laurel or Robert down very soon so that we can __arrange__ a __picnic__ so we can __catch up__. I'd __love__ to see you again._

_Yours__ eternally,_

_Peter_

.

Annabeth stared at the letter in shock as anger quickly boiled up inside her, tinged with fear.

"How dare he? How dare he? I don't want him here! Do you understand?" she stopped pacing and threw open the front door. "I don't want them here!" Annabeth yelled angrily, startling the two guards outside her door and a handful of passers-by.

"Annabeth, calm down!" Arthur grunted, picking her up and hauling her back inside.

"She's fine, really." Merlin called out to those who'd stopped and stared at the house, closing the door on them.

"I won't have him here! I won't have any of them here!" Annabeth raged as Arthur held her down in a wooden chair at the table.

"I don't understand. The letter is quite nice actually." Merlin commented naively, reading the letter for himself.

"There are underlined bits in pencil. Faint but you can still see them." Arthur explained rolling his eyes.

"There's a double meaning! He's coming for me!" Annabeth fumed. "I thought you said you were going to protect me?"

She wasn't angry at Merlin and Arthur, not really; they'd only come to deliver the letter from Lord Orion (well Merlin had. Arthur was supposedly playing a game of hide and seek with Lancelot and Gwain and thought her house was the best place to hide. It was a poor excuse really). Annabeth was angry at herself for agreeing to come back to Camelot. She knew she couldn't run now she was being watched all day every day. On Arthur's orders she wasn't even allowed out of her house much either and now the threats! It was too much for her.

"He can't touch you," Arthur reminded her but she wasn't listening, she was too busy writhing angrily in the chair, muttering curses under her breath as she tried to escape his hold.

"Annabeth," Arthur grabbed her face and forced him to look at her. "He can't touch you now. He can't get to you unless you want him to."

"Why would I want him to get to me?" Annabeth asked, wiping away a frustrated tear with her sleeve. "I hate that man and I hate what I've let him do to me!" _My magic is useless against him…_

"Well you don't have to be scared anymore." Arthur kissed her forehead and stood up. He looked at her for another moment before striding outside to have a word with the guards.

"Bugger." She hissed, glancing at Merlin who was surprisingly standing stoic in the corner, a small frown of thought and concentration etched into his forehead.

.

They were laughing, all three of them hysterically or possibly drunkenly. It was hard to tell. Merlin was standing on top of the table, professing his love for the mop (which was propped up on a chair in front of him) which he had snogged only moments before, now leaving the handle a bit wet.

"Thank you for that delicious lunch," Arthur grinned sloppily, slumping in his chair, full from the four helpings of broth he'd had.

"It was nothing, really." Annabeth blushed, leaning over to pick up the plates from around Merlin's feet.

"It was lovely." Arthur bent forward and kissed her cheek in thanks.

"Shove off." Annabeth playfully pushed Arthur. "Oi, nutcase, don't I get a kiss from you too for making the best lunch ever?" She shouted up at Merlin.

"Not until you promise to be a bridesmaid at our wedding!" Merlin called, downing some more wine.

"Will I get a dance with our future king?" Annabeth asked loftily, adding an empty wine bottle to the top of her pile of plates.

"I shall save the liveliest dance for the liveliest girl." Arthur proclaimed, leaning back in his chair to look at her upside-down as she dumped the dirty plates and bottles into the over-flowing sink.

Annabeth and Merlin roared with laughter at this, Annabeth actually doubling over and clutching her sides, even though to anyone else it wouldn't have been remotely funny.

"Worst. Chat up line. EVER." Annabeth howled between breaths, wiping a drunken tear from her eye before managing to stand back up and swiped the last couple of empty bottles from the table and added them to the pile of washing up she's have to do later.

"Then I shall marry on the 'morrow!" Merlin grinned. "And pass on some of the chat up lines that won me the heart of this fair mop." He winked at Annabeth who giggled and beamed back like a mad woman.

"You shall marry with my blessing. A toast! To Merlin, his mop and the many mop babies with Merlin's lack of brains that they will surely have together!" Arthur raised his bottle in Merlin's direction.

"Huzzah!" Annabeth and Merlin chimed, raising their own before chugging them.

At that moment the door flew open and Gwain and Lancelot tumbled in, having just had a small tousle with the guards who weren't keen on letting them through.

"There you are you cheating- what are _you_ doing here?" Gwain stopped laughing at Arthur mid-sentence as he spied Annabeth sitting on the table, nursing her wine bottle.

"My house." Annabeth poked her tongue out childishly, shifting to hide more empty wine bottles. "And you sir, owe me some more wine for I have none left." She poked Arthur's arm, swaying slightly.

"Of course my dear lady. I shall send you one thousand caskets of wine after Merlin's wedding tomorrow." Arthur nodded, grinning sloppily.

"What in God's name?" Lancelot muttered under his breath, half-scared, half amused at the scene in front of him.

"Merlin, married?" Gwain chortled. "Surely not!"

"Yes! He's marrying my mop; didn't you know? He courted her quite expertly." Annabeth nodded seriously.

"Of course he did." Gwain scoffed.

"Arthur!" Elyan flew through the front door.

"How did you all get here? Or are you multiplying?" Annabeth asked suspiciously glaring at the 6 men in armour before her. Elyan ignored her.

"Arthur, you need to get back up to the castle. The King is gravely ill." Elyan relayed gravely, panting slightly as he braced himself on a wall.

"Take me to him at once." Arthur ordered, quickly sobering up in mood but standing up rather unsteadily. "I'm sorry Anna, but he's my father." He turned back to her with wide eyes, conveying, just for a moment, how scared he was.

"I know," She whispered, giving him a half smile of understanding. "Go to him."

Arthur nodded and followed his knights back up to the castle as hastily as his drunken legs would take him.

"Well that was a bit of a buzz kill." Merlin commented, clambering down off the table.

"You should go with them, with Arthur. He's going to need his drunken fool if anything bad happens tonight." Annabeth told him, feeling guilty.

"I will in a minute. Do you need any help cleaning or sobering up or…"Merlin trailed off, shoving his hands into his pockets and taking a large step forward so he stood in front of Annabeth.

"No, I'll manage." Annabeth rubbed her eye sleepily.

Suddenly, Merlin lunged forward and kissed Annabeth full on the lips, pulling his hands out of his pockets to hold her. Annabeth blinked, stunned for a moment before gently pushing Merlin off (he wasn't holding on very tightly) and staring at him, trying to figure out what on earth that was for.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Merlin asked again, smiling goofily, high on ecstasy from the kiss and alcohol from the many glasses of wine he'd had.

"No, but I think you do." Annabeth grinned evilly at her friend.

"Annabeth, don't." Merlin said warningly, taking a step back.

_Squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch._

"What happened to you?" Gwen resisted the urge to laugh as she closed the door to Uther's chambers, carrying a jug of filthy water with a towel.

"I needed to 'Sober up'." Merlin grumbled, imitating Annabeth with a completely inaccurate fake, girly voice.

He was drenched and was _still_ dripping with water as he trudged through the castle, on his way to get some dry clothes.

Gwen just smiled and shook her head at her closest friend as she watched him stalk off down the corridor, leaving a trail of puddles behind him.

Annabeth stared at her sink washing out the wine glasses and staring out of her window, over the rooftops at the moon. She wasn't thinking of anything in particular as she stared at the silvery slither high in the sky- it was only a few days until the new moon. Annabeth felted drained and on edge as she always did at this time in the lunar cycle. She didn't fully understand why but she was sure that if she ever returned back to her childhood home, she'd understand everything. The answers _had_ to be there.

A soft click alerted Annabeth to the presence of another in her house.

"How is your father?" Annabeth asked, not turning around.

"He is fine. It's just a fever. Gaius promises that he can keep it under control." Arthur nodded, reassuring himself more than informing Annabeth.

"Gaius is a very wise man. You father is wise employing him as the court physician. It will all work out fine. Just you wait and see." Annabeth smiled, not that Arthur could see.

Arthur did not say anything in response but walked a few steps closer so he was at Annabeth's side as she cleaned.

"It's late. You should be sleeping." Annabeth commented, hearing the clocks chime midnight.

"So should you." Arthur commented, picking up a pile of dry plates from the side and putting them in their respective cupboards.

"I have work tomorrow. I need to get all my work done and unlike anyone who has money, I don't have someone to do these jobs for me." Annabeth retorted, slamming a glass down on the side in frustration. This was the worst part of being poor and living alone: all of the cleaning.

"Work?" Arthur inquired, figuring it was best to keep away from the subject that infuriated Annabeth the most.

"I'm picking up story-telling again. I've spoken to the guards and I'm going to stand at the door to nod at who can be let in. I have to start writing down the new story so that way I can improve it over the next few days." Annabeth explained.

"And what exactly does this story entail?" Arthur smiled, putting away the empty bottles.

"I'm afraid I can't tell." Annabeth replied slyly. "But if you come to the telling you might find out." Her body betrayed her casual manner as Annabeth's heart started racing in anticipation for his answer.

"When is it?" He asked slowly, not wanting to seem too eager.

"Sunday night around supper time. I supply food." Annabeth told him, not looking his way as she cleaned off the last piece of cutlery.

"Can you afford that?" Arthur was concerned that Annabeth would end up with no money whatsoever and get thrown into the stocks or even jail.

"Yes." Annabeth lied smugly.

"Then I'll come but on one condition." Arthur nodded.

"And what is that?" Annabeth narrowed her eyes and glanced at him.

"Dance with me." Arthur asked seriously, offering out his hand.

**I know I haven't updated in while but I've been so busy and then I had writers block… It was not a good time for me :/ But I promise to make up for it. Please review anyway.**

**I also know that there are some things in this chapter that wouldn't be said (e.g. chat-up lines) but I didn't know the "medieval" term for them so I had to improvise as best I could.**

**Oh yeah, and the drunken bit was my lousy attempt of humour based on a story told by my dad. If it failed… yeah. Sorry about that.**

**But if you could still please review, I'd love you forever. Just saying :P**


	14. Chapter 14

Annabeth allowed herself to sit down on the edge of her bed and relax for a moment. She surveyed the room with pride at how nice it looked. Fresh flowers in empty wine bottles lined the windowsills, were dotted about on the kitchen sideboard and stood grandly on the table behind a several stacks of bowls. Wine bottles stood at the back of the table against the wall overseeing a crowd of tin cups. Freshly laundered clothes fluttered outside the window above the sink, drying in the bright sun. In the middle of the room enough broth to feed at least 20 people bubbled in the cauldron while a fresh loaf of bread hid away from pests, sandwiched between a plate and a large bowl. The chairs that were usually squashed around the table were arranged in a semi-circle facing the door with borrowed and mismatched pillows piled on their seats.

Annabeth had been up cleaning and washing and cooking and preparing since she woke at dawn for the evening that was to come. She usually got paid rather well after a session of story-telling, especially if she provided food. Using the last of her money was a risk she was willing to take if it meant maybe getting more of it back. Despite her recent involvement with the crown, the locals were still eager to hear her stories, perhaps even more so now as she might let something slip that would make some very juicy gossip indeed. Annabeth was relying on this more than anything. The more people who came to listen to her the more money she could make and the stronger her chances of surviving were.

"Knock knock!" Merlin called cheerily sticking his head through the open window next to the door.

"You seem happy." Annabeth narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she got up to open the door.

"It's my day off. Of course I'm happy." Merlin countered, walking in past her.

"What have you got there?" She asked, spying the bag hanging off his arm.

"It's from Arthur," Merlin told her as she closed the door. "You can open it." He held out the bag for her.

"He already sent me the wine he promised." Annabeth took the bag from hi warily. "What could it be?"

"Open it." Merlin urged her.

Annabeth cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow at Merlin before setting the bag on the bed and pulling out a parcel. She glanced over her shoulder and Merlin who nodded at her encouragingly, a big grin on his face as he leant against the kitchen sideboard. Carefully she opened the parcel and gasped when she saw what was inside it.

A bright yellow satin dress was folded up neatly inside. It was plain but still beautiful and so smooth to touch. Annabeth's eyes welled up as she looked at it. She did not deserve a present from him.

"You need to take it back to him." Annabeth swallowed back her tears.

"Why?" Merlin frowned.

"I did nothing to deserve this. I can't take it." Annabeth explained.

"Well I'm not allowed to take it back." Merlin clasped his hands behind his back and smiled smugly. "Will you try it on?"

Annabeth bit her lip and looked longingly at the dress.

"It would be rude not to." She decided, accepting the gift against her better nature.

If only she knew what she was getting herself into.

.

.

.

It was almost time.

Annabeth looked down and gave herself a last once over. The dress didn't have a speck of dust or a single crease in it. It was bright, as if she were wearing a beam of sunlight and it fit her body snugly, leaving her shoulders exposed to the cool air. It was a beautiful dress and now her hair was done to go with it, she felt like her old self again; the self before her mother died, the self who wore pretty dresses all the time. The version of herself that didn't exist anymore.

When she thought Merlin wasn't looking, Annabeth slipped a worn piece of parchment from her sleeve and into her hand to re-read the words she'd already memorized off by heart in the past hour.

_You'll be the brilliant tonight. Don't forget to shine._

_Arthur_

Annabeth could image Arthur saying those words to her and it calmed her nerves. She only wished he could be there tonight but she understood why it was so hard for him to leave his father's side right then. Whenever her mother got sick as a girl Annabeth would never leave her side. If she died when Annabeth wasn't there to say her final goodbye she would never be able to live with herself. It had to be the same for Arthur. Why wouldn't it be?

"Annabeth?" Merlin asked, breaking her away from her thoughts.

"Yes Merlin?" Annabeth turned to face him, tucking the note back up her sleeve.

"They're here."

.

.

.

"Arthur," Gwen sighed as she folded up a dirty night shirt to add it onto her basket of laundry. "He's sleeping. You need to go get some rest. You've been here for days."

"No," Arthur's voice shook and he did not look at her as he knelt beside his father's bed. His eyes desperately searched his father's face for even the smallest sign of improvement.

"The King is sleeping. There's nothing you can do for him now." She reminded him.

"Guinevere, I _can't_ leave." Arthur stressed, still not looking at her.

"But you have to. You're making yourself sick and that won't help anyone." Gwen insisted.

Arthur didn't respond.

"Arthur, _please_," Gwen begged. "If you don't leave as well you could die. Please don't make me watch you waste away in front of me." She slowly moved forwards to him.

"Then don't watch." Arthur muttered darkly.

"Arthur, please! Don't be like this! Gaius had told you that the king is going to be fine. Why won't you let us help you or even help yourself?" Gwen persisted, pushing Arthur to the edge.

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO!" Arthur exploded, shooting up and whirling around to face her. A silence rang loud and clear as Uther stirred in his bed. Arthur glanced at him for a moment, the crazed look in his eye never fading. Once the king had rolled back over and resumed sleeping Arthur continued, quieter this time but still with a harsh, almost unforgiving edge to his voice. "If something happens, if he got worse… I would never be able to live with myself knowing I'd left his side."

"And you expect me to live with myself if I don't speak up and something happens to you?" Gwen asked tearily, retreating back to the table with her basket on it.

"Yes I do." Arthur nodded stiffly.

"If that is what you wish my lord." Gwen said distantly, curtseying before picking up her basket.

"It is." Arthur said coldly, returning to his father's side.

Without another word Gwen picked up her basket and left the room. Was it her fault that he'd started to push her away? Had she changed somehow? Was she acting different? What was it that was driving Arthur steadily away from her?

Gwen was so lost in her own distressing thoughts that she wasn't paying any attention to where she was going and bumped straight into another person.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention-" Gwen apologised hurriedly, bobbing and checking she had everything.

"You don't have to apologise to me dear Gwen. I always long for an excuse to bump into you." Lancelot smiled, taking a step closer to her.

Gwen looked up at him and bit her lip. "You flatter me." She chose her words carefully, not meeting his eyes.

"A woman as beautiful as you deserves to be complimented often." Lancelot's smile never flickered or faded. "Come, let me help you with that basket." He reached out to take it from her.

"No, I can't let you-" She objected.

"I insist." Lancelot said firmly, prising the basket from her grip.

Guinevere looked up into his eyes wondering what he was up to and saw a glint of something genuine there. Something that Arthur normally had but had faded over the past few weeks. Something that Gwen's heart couldn't help but follow, which is why she handed over the basket to Lancelot without further protest and allowed him to escort her to the laundry room.

.

.

.

A hooded figure snuck out of the side door of the castle. It was completely dark now and the moon was on the rise. The man walked away from the castle, each step oozing purpose as he strode farther and farther away out of the castle's shadow. He didn't bother to conceal himself from the castle guards – it was not yet the hour of the curfew so he needn't bother with such things yet.

His footsteps were muffled as he made his way swiftly through the courtyard and out of the castle grounds into the towns. It was almost as if he were late for something from the way he was moving with a subtle urgency.

When he reached his destination he only paused for a moment to let the guards at the door peek under his hood before silently waving him in. With as little fuss as possible the man slipped through the door into a room jam-packed with people. At least fifty men and women of all ages and shapes were squashed into the room around a crackling fire, listening intently to a young woman in a fine yellow dress with long, mousy brown hair plaited and twisted around the back of her head. Her startling blue eyes shone animatedly as she used her hands to aid her speech as she sat cross-legged on top of a long, thin table lining the left-hand wall.

"'HOW DARE YOU!' the prince bellowed, brandishing his sword. He did not know what else to do for his heart had been ripped to pieces before his very eyes. 'How could you betray me like this?' he cried, stalking forward to grab his lady-love's arm. 'I was going to give you more than you would ever want! More than you could ever dream of! Why would you do this to me?' He shook her roughly, disgusted by her tears. SHE had broken HIS heart! Not the other way around! That miserable serving girl had no right to cry!" Annabeth's voice changed with the story, reeling the man in, even when she shouted.

"Broth sir?" A man with abnormally large ears and a young, chirpy face asked, suddenly appearing next to him.

The cloaked man nodded eagerly, reaching for his purse.

"Oh no sir. It's free but do feel free to leave a donation in your empty bowl at the end of the night." Big Ears shook his head as he pressed a still warm bowl of broth into the man's hands.

The man nodded again and moved around to the back of the crowd where he ate his broth quietly and listened to the story.

"'Unhand her! Unhand her I say!' Sir Spearmuch demanded, drawing his own sword. Prince Pentagon threw Penny on the floor and turned to face his former knight. 'You DARE challenge me? You have taken away the only thing I have left in the world! I shall DESTROY you for your crime!' The prince raised his own sword and swung it at Spearmuch's. The two men ignored the screamed protests of Penny as they battled in the dark hall with only the patchy moonlight streaming in through the high windows to light their blood-thirsty battle."

On and on Annabeth went, weaving her words to create stunning images with her words late into the night. It was as if she'd cast a spell over her audience as they sat there in an inhuman silence, clinging on to Annabeth's every word as if it were their only lifeline…

And then it stopped.

It took everyone a moment to realise that Annabeth had reached the end of her tale but when they did there was a thunderous amount of applause from the considerably small group and the tinkling noise of copper coins being dropped into empty bowls and cups. A small fair-headed child presented Annabeth with a small bouquet of lavender and got a tiny kiss on the cheek in gratitude.

Annabeth herself was radiant. She was grinning from ear to ear and her face was practically glowing in the dimly lit room with pride at her success. Graciously she thanked her audience, slipping delicately off the table to circulate the room to modestly accept praise and answer questions thrown at her from every direction until almost everyone had been escorted home.

**Clunk.**

The hooded man remained standing half-concealed by the door as he dropped a leather purse the size of his fist into the bowl.

"Arthur, I'm not taking all that money from you so think again." Annabeth raised an eyebrow as she and Merlin began collecting all the bowls and cups scattered around the room to place on the table.

"How did you know it was me?" Arthur demanded, throwing back his hood.

"Because I am not blind." Annabeth responded plainly.

"Now what's the real reason?" Arthur asked expectantly.

"It's true. The way you stand gave it away. The way you stand with your back straight, all regal and majestic. It oozes royalty your highness." Annabeth drawled, smirking to herself. She _may_ have had a bit to drink herself.

"That's enough of the cheek or I'll make you keep all of this." Arthur threatened her playfully.

"So what made you come down Arthur?" Merlin asked, bending down to scoop up a few bowls.

"Gwen. She-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to us." Annabeth said hurriedly, throwing Merlin a sharp look.

"Uh, okay." Arthur seemed taken aback but didn't go further into the matter.

"You're wearing the dress." He said after a minute's silence.

"It's a lovely dress. Thank you so much." She smiled and curtseyed to him.

"She wanted me to give it back to you." Merlin piped up.

"Shut up Merlin." Annabeth gave him a playful shove as Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't deserve it." She explained, looking down.

"You deserve everything good in the world Annabeth. We all know that." Arthur said comfortingly, resisting the urge to sweep her into his arms and hold her there.

Why couldn't she realise how much she was worth, especially to him?

**I've been meaning to say this for a while but I have a gallery of pictures of the characters from this story if you want to see them. Copy and paste the following link into a new tab to see them if you want! (.com/galleries/AnnabethBlack-53740)**

**And please don't forget to review!**


	15. Chapter 15

Arthur was frustrated.

It wasn't the first time that week either. Since the recovery of his father, Arthur had had to go back to fully running the kingdom on his own. Whilst he'd remained by his father's side the council had done it but there were many things that needed royal attention and Arthur was forced to turn to it.

Running the kingdom was the job that distressed Arthur the most. Uther hadn't yet taught Arthur all there was to know about running Camelot yet – he'd always felt that Arthur was a bit too young and that they'd have plenty of time to do it. This year, after Arthur's birthday Uther had promised to teach his so n all he would ever need to know but he was in no condition to do that now. The combination of the fever and Morganna's betrayal had left him practically speechless and nearly dead inside and whether he liked it or not, Uther had left his son to go in his place practically blind.

It was not the threat of war or crime rates that stressed Arthur – he'd been dealing with those kinds of things since he'd been fifteen – it was the money. No matter which way the Royal Accountants turned, there wasn't enough money. The only way they could sustain Camelot's rapidly increasing population was to raise taxes but to Arthur it didn't seem like a fair solution. People struggled to pay the taxes as it was – Annabeth included. Raising taxes would cripple and kill the poor. Was he expected to sentence his own people to death like that?

"My lord…?" One of the councillors asked.

To Arthur all the old men sat around the seemingly small wooden table looked the same. Old, wrinkling white men in red robes, the only variation between them being their weight (they were either horrendously fat or extremely thin). Right now Arthur hated every single one of them. They were supposed to be helping him but all they seemed to be doing was throwing problems his way.

"Yes?" Arthur asked, snapping out of his dark thoughts.

"We need an answer." Another man said, nodding encouragingly.

Arthur had forgotten the question entirely. He was stressed and frustrated and he couldn't think straight, not to mention the fact that he's not set a foot outside at all for the past two days. His brain needed oxygen; it felt like it was going to explode.

"I shall give you an answer gentlemen but as we've been at this all day, may I suggest we take a break and reconvene in two hours?" Arthur said as diplomatically as possible.

"Of course sire," the plump head of the council nodded understandingly.

Without hesitating, Arthur stood up and walked briskly out of the chamber, Merlin, who'd been waiting on them all day, hot on his heels.

"Thank goodness. I thought that was never going to end." Merlin grinned his trademark goofy smile, almost running to keep up with him.

"Oh shut up Merlin." Arthur snapped, lengthening his strides.

Understanding the not-so subtle message, Merlin stopped walking and watched silently after Arthur as he walked away.

.

.

.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye Miss."

"Bye."

"Bye bye."

See you later Miss."

Annabeth stood, holding onto the doorframe as she watched the five children walk away to their separate homes. Rielle, the tall, curvy blonde fifteen year old with the unusual black eyes lived in the house straight opposite Annabeth and was gone in moments. Rielle was loud. What she lacked in grace, vocabulary and etiquette she made up for in volume. This was somewhat expected by Annabeth who knew that she had 8 siblings at home to compete with, all of whom were younger and were also very loud – the late night shouting matches coming from Rielle's house were proof of this.

Samuel and Ethan, both twelve, lived in houses side-by side in the lower towns. They were both very different; Samuel was tiny for his age. Ginger with an almost skeletal like appearance due to malnourishment, Annabeth always tried to feed him as much as possible and made sure the little clay pot he carried back and forth from lessons with her was always full. Ethan on the other hand was taller than Rielle and built like a big black brick wall. He was strong – almost too strong. He kept on snapping the quills and pencils Annabeth gave him but she didn't mind. She'd started using water to strengthen the pencils and she was teaching him to control his strength as best she could as well as teaching him to read and right. People always misjudged Ethan, Annabeth found. They assumed his size and strength made him overly aggressive and mean but in fact he was not. He never lashed out unless he was provoked constantly. It was actually Samuel who was the violent one. The lack of money in his family had hardened him, making him a difficult person to deal with. He was used to getting it rough and lived off of his wits and snide, sarky comments. He never did that to Annabeth though. Both boys had a certain soft spot for their tutor.

Sophia was next. She was seven and was often compared to a fairy. Her slight build and scheming green eyes matched with a billion freckles and pointed pink ears gave her a kind of supernatural cuteness that only Annabeth (being supernatural herself) seemed to notice. Little Sophia spoke in a voice barely above a whisper and never ever said a bad word about anybody however she did manage to subtly help others find flaws in those they disliked.

Peeta was the youngest of the group and ironically the most intelligent. He was only five years old slightly obsessed with bread. He was the son of a baker, with scruffy dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Peeta would talk about anything and everything, always making the topic come back around to bread incredibly enough or occasionally the little girl Kat who lived a few doors down from him. Annabeth always encouraged Peeta to bring Kat to class with him but he never had the guts to ask her.

"I didn't know you were teaching again." Arthur remarked, leaning his back against the opposite side of the frame, watching the after the children, just the same as Annabeth.

"Where did you spring from?" Annabeth smiled, not looking at him. She could still see Peeta walking on his own in the distance.

"Nowhere really. I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I'd say hi." Arthur joked.

"Come inside. I'll boil some water." Annabeth nodded, turning to go inside. She'd heard the strained edge in Arthur's voice and knew he wanted to talk without being judged. She walked into the house, Arthur following her and shutting the door behind them.

"Sit," She commanded, nodding to one of the empty chairs at the table. "Just shove those out of the way. I'll clear them in a minute." She let some water pour into the tin kettle before putting the stopper back in the tube and hanging the kettle over the constantly roaring fire in the middle of the room in place of the cauldron, which was tucked away in a corner and full of soapy water.

"You're teaching again." Arthur repeated, leaning against a wall instead of taking his designated seat.

"I did tell you to sit down," Annabeth pointed out firmly, darting over to the table to stack up the papers according to who'd written what and placing them up on the shelf along with the quills and pencils. "And stop straying off the point. You're upset Arthur. Talk to me." Annabeth insisted.

"How could you tell?" Arthur tried to keep a straight face as he sat down in the seat.

"I'm a woman. I can tell." Annabeth said soothingly, sitting down herself. "You know you can talk to me about anything in the strictest confidence. I won't tell a soul about anything." She took his hand in her own and squeezed it comfortingly.

Arthur looked at her warm blue eyes. He knew he could trust her. She would love him and help him no matter what the cost. He _knew_ he would. He didn't know for sure nor did he know how he knew it but he just did. He could feel it in his bones. She was an important person to him. They belonged in each other's lives. He could tell her this.

A small nod from Annabeth was all it took for him to launch into his tale of worry about his father and not being ready to run a kingdom by himself, how he was scared about the damage one small wrong decision could do and that this worry was ruining him. Annabeth listened patiently with her head tilted slightly to the left, paying all of her attention to Arthur as he held her hand and spoke. Occasionally she would tuck her long wavy hair behind her right ear with her free hand and give him nods that told him to carry or that she understood well enough even though running a kingdom was a foreign concept to her but other than that she remained silent, working out alternate possibilities in the back of her mind.

She knew very little when it came to money so she couldn't find a possible solution there. She could try healing Uther with her water magic which was very strong in the area of wound healing but if she were caught she'd pay with her life and the magic may not work with her dead. It might not work anyway as there are some wounds that even magic can't heal. Annabeth herself could not offer him advice or aid him in any way as she knew nothing about running a kingdom nor was she supposedly of the right birth to be in a position to help.

There was a pause after Arthur finished speaking. He looked hopefully up at Annabeth who was whizzing ideas through her head and abandoning them just as quickly. Arthur could have sworn he heard a low humming sound coming from her head as she processed thoughts at lightning speed.

"Do you have any family? Any relatives left outside of Camelot? An aunt or and uncle perhaps?" Annabeth asked slowly, grabbing onto an idea in her head and working on it, know that it would most probably work.

"Uh," Arthur seemed a little thrown off by this question. "Yes. My mother had a brother, Lord Argravaine. Why?"

"Can you not ask him to come and help you? He could guide you and take over some of your responsibilities until the King gets better and can teach you what you need to know. Your uncle could probably even teach you as he might know what the public expect from their king." Annabeth explained, getting back up from the table to pour the warm water into two tin mugs. "I'm sorry it's not china but it's the best I have." She sighed, setting the pot down and bringing both tins back over to the table.

"Have I ever complained before?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, I don't know where I'd be without you Annabeth." He received his mug gratefully and held it close to him – it was a bit of a chilly day after all.

"Probably in a much better place." Annabeth joked, taking a sip of her own scalding water. She didn't flinch as she drank, she preferred water this way.

"That's a lie." Arthur said sharply. He'd be lost without her and they both knew it.

Annabeth bit her lip to stop herself from saying something she would regret. Arthur didn't really know what to say either so that sat there in an awkward silence, drinking.

"You need to go." Annabeth said suddenly, standing up.

"What? Why?" Arthur scowled. He didn't want to leave, he'd only just got there!

"Your men are here looking for you." Annabeth said stoically, turning to the sink as there was a knock on the front door.

Cautiously, Arthur got up and answered the door.

"Percival?" Arthur asked, surprised he knew where to find him.

"Sorry sire but I've been instructed to bring you back to the castle. It's a most urgent matter." Percival looked over at Annabeth who refused to face them.

"Annabeth?" Arthur turned to her.

"Yes Arthur?" she turned to him with a false half smile on her face.

"I will come back." He told her, more to reassure himself than her.

"Of course my lord." She bobbed and returned back to her dishes.

"Is she the girl from the woods?" Percival asked as Arthur shut the door behind them.

"Yes, she is." Arthur nodded, trying to stay composed. Leaving her felt wrong. There was something unfinished between them, he was sure of it.

**Please don't forget to review! I only got 2 last time Can we please try at double that? It's not hard. If I get 4 I'll do a Thursday and a Sunday update next week! **


	16. Chapter 16

"I do apologise Laurel, I'm in a particularly fussy mood. I do hope I'm not being too hard on you." Orion drawled, watching Anita lay out his evening wear.

"Do not fret my Lord. You are much better than Lady Potter." Laurel simpered, smoothing out his velvet robe.

"Annabeth is not a lady yet!" Orion snapped, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, I know my lord. I was referring to her mother, the late Lady Potter." Laurel explained quickly. She hated it when he wasn't best pleased with her. All she ever wanted to do was please him.

"The mother was a lady? Of what kingdom?" Orion asked, hardly daring to believe it. If Annabeth was a lady…

"Camelot sir." Anita stated, finishing dusting off his boots.

"Send in Robert to help me change dear Laurel and inform our Prince that unfortunately I'll be a little late for dinner." Orion instructed sending her a provocative smile before sinking into deep thought.

"Right away my lord." Laurel bobbed before scampering out of the room, pleased that he liked her again.

.

"I need to see your records on a certain Annabeth Potter." Orion demanded, sweeping into the library.

"Annabeth Potter?" The wizened old gynaecologist croaked from behind his desk.

"Immediately." Orion nodded.

"But my Lord, there must be dozens if not hundreds of Annabeth Potters in the Kingdom of Camelot." He wheezed.

"It is imperative that I discover the lineage of this girl. If I gave you her current address and date of birth, would that make the task any quicker?" Orion pressed, knowing he was late for dinner.

"I'm sure it would my lord but-"

"Here," Orion thrust a piece of parchment at the gynaecologist. "I shall return again tomorrow evening to see what progress you have made."

Before the Court Gynaecologist could so much as protest, Orion swept back out of the room and off to the Great Hall for supper, his stomach rumbling like the thundering clouds threatening the horizon outside.

.

.

Once again Arthur found himself outside the house of Annabeth Potter. He knew he ought not to be there but it was like he had no choice; his feet just led him to her like a moth to a flame. No one would miss him now anyway. He'd actually attended dinner up at the castle today. They had no reason to complain.

He hesitated several feet away from the door, gazing at the house. He could see flickering candlelight through the small gaps in the battered wooden shutters. He could hear the sound of running water and Annabeth's praise for the writing of her current pupil.

Arthur longed to walk forward those last few steps and knock on the door but the more reasonable part of his mind was holding him back. He'd constantly been intruding into Annabeth's life for the past few weeks, unloading all of his problems onto her and basically controlling her life so it revolved around him. Though she genuinely didn't seem to mind, it still felt somewhat wrong and unfair to Arthur, even if he couldn't stop himself from doing it.

Before he could make up his mind though, Annabeth's front door opened. She was wearing a high-waisted, simple brown dress today – an unusual colour on her as she mainly went for blue – with a mismatching blue cloak to keep her warm on. Her hair cascaded down her back from a high ponytail and she held her candle aloft as bid farewell to her student.

"Goodnight Rielle. Remember, you won't have a lesson tomorrow." Annabeth smiled gently as Rielle curtsied and ran past Arthur into the house behind him.

"I think you better come in Arthur. You'll catch your death out there." Annabeth called, spotting Arthur just standing there.

.

"What's wrong Arthur? You're awfully quiet." Annabeth noted, pouring out a mug of hot water.

"I'm having a- a lady problem." Arthur sighed, resting his elbows on the table so his hands were able to support the weight of his head.

"A charming, handsome prince like you? Never!" Annabeth teased, setting down his mug in front of him.

"Oh very funny." He said sarcastically, staring into his mug and circling the rim of it with a finger. He was deep in thought, Annabeth could see that and it worried her a bit.

"So you think I'll be able to help you?" She asked, pouring herself a mug of warm water.

"I don't know. I hope so," Arthur grimaced. "At least you'd give better advice than Merlin."

"I suppose that's true. Fire away and I'll see what I can do." She laughed, sitting down next to Arthur.

"Well there are these two girls-"

"Do I know them?" Annabeth interrupted.

"Why does it matter?" Arthur frowned.

"It may affect my judgement." Annabeth admitted.

"Well, I'd rather keep their names secret for now." Arthur said slowly, figuring that is was the best course of action.

"Fair enough. Please continue." Annabeth gave a half-smile and took a sip of her drink.

"Well there are these two girls I like. The first one I've known for a long time and she's been with me through a lot. I love her, I know I do. She's sweet and kind and a real fighter. But this second girl… she's only entered my life recently and I'm mad for her. She's funny, witty and I can talk to her about anything without the least bit of judgement from her. She's unique in every way and not like I expected at all. She's turned my world upside-down." Arthur explained, a small smile on his face as he talked about each of the girls in turn.

"The problem is, both girls are beneath my station but I love them both for different reasons and I definitely want to spend my life with one of them. I have to pick one to fight for because I can't have both but I don't know which one to pick. I know for certain that the first girl will stay by me no matter what because she's sweet and caring that way but the second girl, she's a more passionate kind of being and it's kind of hard for me to predict what would happen." He frowned now. Admitting his problem had been easier than he thought, but then again, admitting things to Annabeth had always been easy.

"Ah, it's that same old question isn't it? The safe option versus the risk? Constant, devoted love or fun and passion?" Annabeth sighed – she knew exactly who Arthur was talking about and she didn't really know how to feel about it. She couldn't let her face give anything away though, not just yet at least.

"Well, it's your choice really. I'm afraid I can't really help you." She picked up her still half mug and stood up, taking a sip before putting it back on the table and drifting away.

"Why not?" Arthur demanded.

"It's not my decision." she countered, forcing a smile as she turned to look at him.

"Fine. I'll give you some advice, but the final decision is all yours". She sighed in defeat. How could she resist?

"Thank you! I owe you so much." Arthur grinned moving in to hug her.

"Hold on! You haven't even heard what I've got to say yet," She laughed, holding him off. "It could be utter rubbish."

"But it won't be." Arthur said confidently.

"Are you okay Arthur?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" He frowned, his previous air of triumph vanishing.

"You're acting very out of character." She noted, returning to scrubbing a tin plate.

"I feel fine." Arthur protested, looking down over himself. What on earth was she talking about?

"Okay…" Annabeth trailed off, gazing into his eyes, searching for what, she was wasn't sure.

"Honestly Anna, I'm fine." Arthur said firmly.

"If you say so, your majesty." Annabeth curtsied, mocking him as she returned to herself.

"Oh, stop it." Arthur snapped.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Fine." She straightened up, putting on her no-nonsense attitude.

"Do both the girls know how you feel?"

"The first girl does. I haven't said anything to the second one." Arthur frowned.

"Which one do you think about more?" She quizzed.

"Lately, it's been y- the second girl." Arthur quickly stopped himself, but it was too late, Anna knew.

"Do you know if either of these girls are being courted or have an interest in someone else or you?" She went on, unperturbed.

Arthur thought hard before answering. "No."

"Then find out. Fast." Annabeth turned away to resume cleaning the dishes.

"Why?" Arthur asked, moving to stand next to her.

"Because a woman that doesn't love you isn't a woman worth fighting for."

.

.

.

**I got ****5**** reviews for the last chapter! I was SO happy! Can I please have 5 reviews again this time? Please, to make me smile for the rest of the week? :D**

**Btw, the Court Gynaecologist is someone who looks at your family tree to see if you're of noble blood or not.**


	17. Chapter 17

"You're lying." Annabeth snarled, trying to close the thin wooden door in their faces.

Men from the castle had turned up at her door claiming that they thought she was the daughter of Lady Grace Potter and wanted to take her up to the castle to be questioned by the court genealogist and she'd been refusing to let them take her since, denying all of their claims.

They were right of course. Annabeth knew where she was from. She knew she was from wealth though she could not have a penny of it until she wed - stupid laws, stupid _men_ - but now that she was living like a pauper, she didn't want to go back to it. Accepting her birth right meant no backing out of marrying Orion. She would have no excuse to put off the wedding and then she would be doomed until the day he died. He would get her money, her island, her old home but more importantly, he would get _her _and that was the last thing she wanted.

"I'm afraid we have to take you up to the castle to be questioned Miss Potter. As is standard-" Sir Leon insisted, leaning against the closed door so that the woman inside could hear him better.

"I don't give a rat's tail about standard procedure! I will not go!" Annabeth shouted, pushing all her weight against the door that was threatening to break at any moment.

"I don't understand. Surely any person would love to find out they're a lady's daughter." One of the nameless guards whispered to the other.

Sir Leon whipped his head around and gave them a pointed look that clearly indicated they were speaking out of term before returning his attention to the stubborn girl who was creating quite a scene over such a trivial matter.

"Madam, I must insist!" The knight pounded on the door again.

"NO!"

"What is going on here?" The group of five guards instantly moved to the sides to make way for their prince, who was striding down the street, the smile that had been on his face vanishing as he saw all the commotion taking place outside Annabeth's door.

"Arthur," Sir Leon bowed hastily. "Miss Potter has been called up to the castle to be questioned sire and she is simply refusing to go." He explained, moving away from the door to properly address his superior.

From the other side of the door, Arthur heard Annabeth's muffled curses and raised a quizzical eyebrow at Sir Leon whose normally bouncy blonde hair seemed to wilt under Arthur's gaze.

"And what exactly does she need to be questioned for?" Arthur demanded, even though he knew it was unnecessary to ask the question.

"The court genealogist found a young woman of exactly her age and name belonging to the Potter Family. The documents in there have been checked for forgery and are genuine. There are no death dates your majesty. We believe quite strongly that this woman is the daughter of Lady Grace Potter." Sir Leon explained hurriedly, seeing the look of growing anger on Arthur's face.

"And why," Arthur asked slowly, trying to control his anger. "Was I not told about this earlier?"

His mind was reeling as unspoken panic set in. If Annabeth was who they thought she was- dare he think it? Could there still be a chance that even if she was of nobility that he could still take her from the clutches of Orion? If Annabeth was a lady's daughter both he and Orion could marry her without any problems but- Because Annabeth was supposedly a peasant it was somewhat easier to keep the two apart. That would all change. Annabeth would be moved up to the castle - she would have no choice despite how much she protested. No lady could live among the common filth, not that Arthur viewed them that way but the more snobbish lords and ladies of Camelot viewed them. Being a lord, Orion had next to no limits on where he went in the castle. He could easily get to Annabeth and steal her away from him.

"We- we could not find you my lord." Sir Leon mumbled quietly.

"What was that?" Arthur leant in so that he could hear better even though he'd heard perfectly the first time.

He had the urge to smile as he saw a familiar hooded figure creeping around the side of Annabeth's house, having slipped through an open window but he kept his expression the same to buy Annabeth some time. She was good at running away from authority figures and the chase that he would undoubtedly join in with was always the best part.

"We couldn't find you." Sir Leon repeated.

"Sir! She's getting away!" One of the guards shouted, pointing after Annabeth.

"Your orders sire?" Sir Leon turned to Arthur, seeing as he was the higher power there.

"Go get her." Arthur ordered, supressing a grin.

The guards broke out into a run after Annabeth who guessed Arthur would let them follow her. She smiled as she skidded under a table being carried by two men. _This_ was what fun was. She rounded a corner and ran slap bang into Arthur.

"No fair! You cut me off!" Annabeth whined childishly, glancing behind her.

The guards were getting closer.

"Follow me." He whispered, dragging her away down a dark alley.

"Arthur what are you doing?" Annabeth hissed before laughing quietly as people walked past them, including the castle guards.

"Are they right?" he demanded, spinning her around to face him.

"I-I-" Annabeth stuttered, taken by surprise.

"Annabeth, are they right?" He needed to know desperately.

"Would it make a difference to how you treat me?" she retorted, regaining herself.

"Annabeth," Arthur frowned. "I asked you first."

"Would it make a difference to how you treat me?" Annabeth repeated through gritted teeth.

"Well it will make a difference to how well I can protect you from Orion and-" Arthur cut himself off abruptly.

"And what?" Annabeth asked heatedly, glaring at him.

"And it's your turn to answer my question. Is it true?" Arthur raised his voice.

"Yes it is!" Annabeth spat. "Are you happy now?"

Anger bubbled up inside her. She didn't _want_ to be a lady, she just wanted to be alone and away from members of the court to practice her magic and live in peace. She didn't want to marry Orion and become an object of fascination in court. And Arthur! She was inexplicably mad at him and it infuriated her.

"Come with me." Arthur ordered darkly, seizing Annabeth's upper arm and dragging her through the less crowded streets.

"Where are you taking me?" Annabeth demanded to know, trying to resist Arthur's superior strength.

"To the castle." He growled back.

Annabeth thought hard. She could take him with her magic if she wanted but she didn't fancy having to run and fight for her life right then and there. It would be easier to just let him take her. But when did she give in to what was easiest? Marrying Orion when he first said "Go" would've been easiest but did she do it? No! So why was she letting Arthur be mad at her and take her up to the castle?

She wrenched her arm rather painfully out of Arthur's grip.

"I'm not going." She insisted, standing her ground.

"Yes you are." Arthur snarled. "You're going to the castle and you're going to see the gynaecologist and he's going to prove that you're lying so things can go back to how they used to be and we can both be happy."

Annabeth stared at him in disbelief. He wanted the same as her.

And then it clicked. If she was a lady, he couldn't protect her from Orion. Orion would win her and Arthur... what would he lose? Her friendship maybe as Orion was most likely to cut her off from all other male members of society forever once they were married but surely he could take losing a friendship.

But no, he felt more deeply than that about her and she knew it. He'd admitted to it the other night. She even felt something back for him although she knew better than ever to act on what she felt. The chaos that would follow would be worse than if she used magic right then and there.

"Annabeth, _please_," Arthur was desperate. They needed to get this over with. Everything had to go back to how it used to be. For him, this (their relationship) wouldn't truly work any other way.

"No." She said with all the finality she could muster.

"Why not?" Arthur scowled.

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you." Annabeth glared defiantly at him.

"Oh for goodness' sake." Arthur muttered to himself.

Knowing that he wasn't going to get what he wanted out of her and decided to resort to what he knew best to save time. Arthur let out a small sigh and strode over to Annabeth. He picked her up around the waist and threw her over his shoulder before she could escape him.

"Arthur, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Annabeth wriggled in his grasp, outraged at being handled that way.

Arthur remained silent and started walking up to the castle.

"Arthur! Arthur, stop it! Put me down!" Annabeth demanded, kicking and hitting every inch of him she could reach.

Her kicking and hitting didn't hurt him much at all – he was used to pain in battle so this didn't faze him much at all – but he was finding it hard not to laugh at Annabeth's childish reaction. He hadn't expected it at all and the surprise of it washed away all his worry.

"Will you walk to the castle by yourself?" Arthur smirked.

"No." Annabeth scowled.

"Then no," Arthur stated simply. He paused to shift Annabeth's weight a little to make it easier for him to carry her before continuing up towards the castle, ignoring the stares of those watching Annabeth try her best to deafen him with her screams and hurt him with her feet and fists.

"ARTHUR! PUT ME DOWN!" Annabeth screamed.

He ignored her just like he ignored everyone else, laughing over her protests now which only served to annoy her more. Even though laughing was the last thing he felt like doing, Arthur couldn't help himself. He had to laugh or he'd feel sick and panic and he couldn't bear to look weak in front of Annabeth. His ego was too big to let that happen.

ooOOoo

Arthur was pacing outside in the empty courtyard whilst Merlin and Gwen looked on from between two of the pillars. His earlier laughter had been obliterated as soon as they'd reached the castle. Geoffrey (Of Monmouth, the gynaecologist) had requested to interview Annabeth in private, causing Arthur to panic slightly. He wasn't sure if he wanted Annabeth to be a lady or not. Not knowing his own mind was a new experience for him which added majorly to his anxiety.

"I don't understand. Why is he like this?" Gwen muttered to Merlin so that Arthur couldn't hear her as he passed.

Gwen was leaning against one of the white pillars with her legs crossed at the ankles and her arms folded. She stared after Arthur, attempting to hide the longing in her eyes with worry.

"You'll get wrinkles on your forehead frowning so much," Merlin joked.

Gwen gave him a pointed look.

Merlin was leaning with his back to the column next to Gwen but was otherwise standing in exactly the same position as Gwen. The only difference was that he actually had more of an idea about what was going through Arthur's head and thought maybe it was best to cover his friend's tracks a bit.

"They're friends, Annabeth and Arthur, but she's under special protection from The Guard. They're – he's – afraid that moving her into the castle and announcing her as a lady, whether it's true or not, might draw her some unwanted attention and cause trouble for Arthur." Merlin explained in a low voice, revealing some of the thoughts going through Arthur's head.

"But he seems to really care about her." Gwen frowned. She knew Arthur, she _knew_ him. He cared for her more than Merlin was letting on. She could see it in his eyes.

"You know what Arthur's like about the citizens of Camelot. He really does care for all of them." Merlin shrugged, attempting to throw her off the trail.

"Arthur!" Gwain called, emerging from the front doors of the castle and descending a few of the steps.

Arthur's head snapped up at the sound of his name and his blank eyes found Gwain in less than a second.

"You're wanted in the Great Hall." Gwain announced. "You two better come as well." He nodded at Merlin and Gwen, who'd ventured from their safe spot to stand on either side of Arthur.

"Merlin, it's been over an hour." Arthur hissed, turning his back on Gwen.

"I know," Merlin frowned.

Annabeth was his friend and he cared about her, maybe not as much as Arthur but he still cared. If Arthur would just let him, Merlin would spend more time with Annabeth and they could learn magic together and all sorts. The only problem was Arthur's selfish nature which meant Merlin never got to see Annabeth alone for long anymore.

In the Great Hall, all the servants and members of the court were gathered and gossiping amongst themselves, separated by the long red carpet down the middle of the room. Arthur strode down the carpet and onto the stage where Geoffrey stood, Merlin and Gwen following him.

"What is the meaning of all this?" Arthur asked with as much authority as he could muster to hide his worry.

"You will see right now my lord." Geoffrey winked at him, taking Arthur aback slightly. "Can I have the attention of the court please?" He boomed, moving to centre-stage.

Arthur moved back a bit and tried to act like he knew what was going on. Everyone fell silent and gave the occupants of the stage their full attention, each and every one of them eager to find out why they'd been summoned there.

"I would like to introduce to you all, Lady Annabeth May Potter."

Alarmed, Arthur's head whipped around as the double doors opened and Annabeth stepped inside. She was wearing a humble white dress with the skirt billowing out. Her shoulders were revealed but long, white sleeves with dark blue cuffs hid her arms. The same blue trimmed the hem of the skirt and marked her waist too. As she walked gracefully down the carpet, Arthur couldn't help admiring how beautiful she looked in the plain garment with her hair down and decorated with little blue gems.

"Your majesty." Annabeth curtsied low, eyes glued on Arthur's boots as she extended a hand out to him.

"Lady Anna," Arthur tenderly kissed her hand, trying to catch her gaze.

"Beth. Annabeth sire, for that is the name my mother gave me." She stood and withdrew her hand, still focused on his boots.

"My apologies Lady Annabeth. Will you be staying with us for long?" Arthur asked cordially, smiling for the benefit of others and thinking he knew the answer.

Annabeth's eyes scanned the crowd of noblemen at the front of the hall and found Lord Orion's face leering up at her greedily from among them. He would not give up on her now. Annabeth swallowed as there was no turning back. Not even magic would save her from his clutches now.

"Do I have a choice?"

**Hey guys! Please remember to review and as a little side note, to any HARRY POTTER fans here, please check out my story **_**All Because of A Mistake**_**. It's a George/Luna fic which also has another half written by another author (see the fic for details). I have quite a few alerts for that fic but no reviews so I was hoping some of you lovely people might be interested in helping me? Reviewers for that fic get sneak previews of both fanfictions! :D**

**Please think about it guys. Sorry to scrounge here but I'm desperate. Many thanks.**

**Annabeth x**


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry that my updates haven't been regular like a promised and the content slightly dodgy. I'm having some problems with Annabeth and getting her to do what I want her to do so I apologise. Right, now that's over with: On with the chapter!**

"I don't see why you _have _to go back there," Sir Leon frowned, following Annabeth as she blazed and angry red path through the streets of the lower towns in the direction of her former home. "There's nothing of value there to take back with you! The prince has already told you that he will pay all your expenses and buy anything you feel you need until you marry and come into your money!"

Annabeth stopped dead in the middle of the street. She looked so out of place in her orange and red dress made of silk and fine netting. The front of the material had an intricate pattern woven in golden thread that swirled like the currents of lava down her fronts and expanding to cover her entire skirt. She hated this red dress but she was required to wear the colour of Camelot every so often and as her favourite blue dresses were currently being washed so today was the day she wore her red and orange one. She rounded on Sir Leon, all the rage of a volcano locked up inside her as her blue eyes flashed dangerously.

"Nothing of worth? Nothing of worth!" Annabeth fumed. "You don't even know what's in there you self-righteous idiot!" She jabbed him hard in the chest with an accusing finger.

"Be that as it may-" Sir Leon began to protest but Annabeth was already ten paces ahead of him.

"Oh shut up!" She yelled back angrily, turning a corner and out of his sight, a massive grin on her face.

Sir Leon had been irritating her beyond belief all week. He was supposed to be "Knight-in-chief" as Annabeth had dubbed him (although she knew that officially he was Arthur's second in command or something like that) yet he'd insisted on acting as some sort of active ambassador, introducing her to life at court and teaching her how to behave. Annabeth was unsure if this was his own idea (unlikely) or due to orders from a higher power (in other words Arthur, who'd been rather busy lately and wanted Annabeth to fit in as comfortably as possible. He was the most likely one to have hired Leon to "teach her the ropes" so to speak as he couldn't do it himself) but it annoyed her so much that all she wanted to do most days was strangle him and/or punch his perfectly formed face – it hadn't been a good week for her and Orion leering at her every chance he got (which admittedly wasn't often) set her on edge. Adjusting to a life that meant she was constantly being watched was stressful enough without that irritating, fluffy haired prat telling her what to do all the time.

Annabeth didn't even think to pause as she sighted her old home. She steamrollered through the door and grinned as the smell of her latest home engulfed her. She looked around to find the place exactly as she left it and was pleasantly surprised by this: she had left this house empty for the past seven days and several valuable items were hidden inside of it. The fact that it remained untouched was quite obviously a surprise. Annabeth allowed herself a second or two to bask in the somewhat limited memories that her house contained before going to work.

She flung open the lid of the chest at the foot of the bed and pulled out the entire contents and chucking them haphazardly on the floor while carefully placing the yellow dress Arthur had given her, a plain blue dress for swimming, her hairbrush with the single sapphire in the handle and a small portrait of her, her mother and her uncle on the bed as they were the things she'd be taking with her. She then went to the kitchen cupboards and opened the one farthest from the door. She carelessly tossed the papers that had been stacked neatly in there onto the floor over her shoulder and removed the false back to the cupboard, which was also thrown on the floor. Inside the space was a small wooden chest intricately carved with flowers which she took from its exposed hiding place and carefully placed on the bed with her other treasures before returning to her one of a kind sink to rummage in the cupboards beneath it. She pulled out a plain brown sack and took it back over to the bed to start placing all of her things in. Once she'd done that she tied the top of the sack into a tight knot and placed it back on the bed before throwing herself on the floor and sticking her arm under the space between the bed and the floor. She felt around and made a triumphant noise as she her hand touched a thick leather strap. She pressed her face against the floor to look under the bed and spotted her twin katana blades in their harness through all of the dust under her bed.

"What on earth?" Sir Leon walked in and his eyes bulged at the sight of the chaos consuming the room.

"I was under the impression you wanted me to hurry? Wasn't it you who's been going on _all_ day about how I have to see Sir Geoffrey this afternoon?" She glanced up and grinned mischievously at him. "I do pay attention you know."

Sir Leon muttered something angrily under his breath as he glared at her. Annabeth ignored him though as her hand made contact with the handle of one of her blades, causing her grin to grow wider. She pulled them out from under the bed and stroked them longingly.

"Hello beautiful," She whispered to them as she stood up and turned to her companion. "Now tell me Sir Leon: Are women allowed on your training grounds?"

"Are you sure we should be letting this happen?" Lancelot leaned over to the right to mutter to Arthur.

"It doesn't seem like the wisest idea." Gwain added in agreement, folding his arms and staring out onto the field.

"There's a lot of unresolved tension between them. This is the best way to fix it." Arthur nodded wisely, trying not to smile.

"But she's a girl. She's bound to get hurt." Percival frowned, leaning his head to one side as he also folded his arms.

"Woman." Merlin couldn't help but correct him as he tried to hide the panic that he felt.

"Woman or not, she's going to skin him alive." Elyan grinned and rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

The six men were lined up outside a red and white tent next to the weapons rack. The weather had stayed sunny and warm for their sport. On the field next to the castle both Sir Leon and Annabeth were suited up in armour (Annabeth's fitting her rather well except for the chest area where it was a bit tight). Sir Leon carried his sword and shield with the Camelot crest on it while Annabeth favoured her twin katana blades.

Arthur had been uneasy about letting Annabeth loose on the training pitch, especially with Sir Leon as when they had both come to ask his permission to use the knights' personal training ground they were obviously infuriated with one another. The problem wasn't that Annabeth wasn't a good fighter – he had seen proof that she was more than capable than some of her knights – it was what other members of the court might think if she demolished one of his best knights out in broad daylight. After thinking it through though he had decided that maybe it was the best option after all. If he and the other knights were there to watch then they would be able to stop them from killing each other as well as have some afternoon entertainment as all the men had been doing before was lazing around the castle waiting for supper time.

"Are you ready Lady Annabeth?" Sir Leon asked, tossing his hair out of his eyes.

"I have never been more ready in my life Sir Leon." Annabeth called back. Her eyes narrowed as she half-smiled, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder, mimicking him.

Sir Leon let out a throaty battle cry and lifted up his sword as he charged at her. Annabeth withdrew her swords from the harness on her back and spun around Sir Leon two strike him in the back with her blades at a parallel. The men watching them cheered and clapped as Sir Leon stumbled forward and face-planted the floor.

"Up." Annabeth ordered in an unusual high and harsh voice, poking him in the back with her swords. Only she knew that she was imitating Lord Orion on one of his worse days and a little smile of satisfaction graced her lips.

Leon pushed himself off the floor and whirled around to strike her with his sword but it clashed with both of hers instead. After a few strained moments of pushing each other, Annabeth removed all her weight, causing Sir Leon to stumble and fall forwards as his sword plummeted to the ground. Over on the side-lines, Gwain howled with laughter.

"She's killing you Leon! Teach her a lesson!" He hollered.

Leon was up again and hacking away at Annabeth who used her own swords to bounce his off in other directions, taking a step backwards every time their swords bounced off one another.

"Come on Leon! You can do better than that!" Lancelot shouted.

"Yes, come on Leon. I'm _sure_ you can do better than that." Annabeth mocked, infuriating Leon.

He thrust his sword at her face in blind anger and Annabeth only just raised her swords to form a protective x in front of her face before it penetrated her skull. The tip of his blade shuddered and moved forward as he applied all the pressure possible on it to create a thin shallow cut on her cheek.

"LEON! NO!" Arthur bellowed as they all raced forwards.

Percival, Lancelot and Elyan pulled Leon back though he resisted, his eyes locked on Annabeth's in a death glare. Gwain and Merlin flanked Annabeth as Arthur stepped in between the two groups.

"Look at me princess. Let me see the cut." Gwain said, putting one hand on Annabeth's shoulder and the other under her chin to turn her face towards him.

"I'm no princess." Annabeth snarled, turning her head away from him to glare in the distance. She hated being treated like she was so fragile. She was more than a match for all of the men there and they knew it. She'd taken much worse injuries than that teeny tiny cut that didn't even hurt.

"And this," Leon panted, grinning triumphantly. "Is why little girls shouldn't play big boy games."

"WHAT did you say?" Annabeth turned to face him, absolutely furious.

"Everyone is fussing over you because of a tiny baby scratch. None of us would get that kind of attention if we got a scratch. In other words: the little girl can't handle a man's fight." He laughed, doubling over.

The six accompanying men looked from Annabeth to Sir Leon and then at each other before letting go of both of them and taking a big step back. Annabeth's eyes flashes dangerously as she swung both her swords at Sir Leon. The clash of metal on metal rang out sharply across the pitch as Annabeth let out all of her rage by slashing away at him. Sir Leon backed away from Annabeth's advances, his eyes wide from the slight fear he felt as he waited for her to change tactics. The change came as one sword flew above their heads to come clanging down against his, the two blades kicked above their heads. Sir Leon grunted as Annabeth increased the pressure, using her magic to cheat as no one could see her eyes. While he was distracted, Annabeth used her signature move and used her free sword to knock out his knees from underneath him. As he sank past her she used both her swords to smack his one out of his hand. She pointed both of her swords at his crumpled body –one at his throat and the other at his heart – and glared at him, panting slightly from the speed and effort of the mini battle.

"Who's a little girl?" Annabeth snarled, feeling superior to the weakling displayed in front of her as her rage subsided.

"Not you." Leon turned exceptionally pale.

"That's what I thought." She said spitefully, turning and walking away from the shocked group of men.

"So I hear you were fighting the knights on the field today."

It was early evening and Annabeth had been summoned by Sir Geoffrey to talk about her money. Annabeth was back in her red and orange dress was walking side-by-side with Sir Geoffrey down an empty stone corridor towards the Great Hall for dinner.

"Yes I was." Annabeth nodded slowly, her eyes on the floor ready to be scolded.

"And you gave them a run for their money too, have I heard correctly?" He chuckled.

"You're not angry?" She asked in disbelief.

"While admittedly it is no way for a beautiful young lady to behave, I feel that is we don't allow you (and the other ladies of Camelot of course) some freedom to express your aggression then it's possible that you'll do something dangerous or fall ill. No one wants that for you." He nodded wisely, speaking from the sincerest part of his heart.

"But isn't fighting the knights of Camelot dangerous?" Annabeth frowned. This entire conversation hadn't been what she was expecting at all and that fact both confused her and put her on edge a bit. Right then he could tell her almost anything and she wouldn't be surprised.

"Arthur was there to make sure you weren't hurt. There was no real danger," He smiled at her. "Besides, your little fight has created quite the gossip already, something we old men love." He winked at her and laughed.

Annabeth chuckled nervously in response and waited for the old man to stop wheezing and carry on the conversation.

"Now my dear, onto the real purpose of our meeting: As you are well aware, you cannot access any of the money left for you by your parents until you marry," He paused at looked at her. When she nodded he carried on. "Well firstly Arthur's taking up the issue with his father and The Council to see if he can get that quite frankly ridiculous law changed. Unfortunately the change will not be happening any time soon, should it happen at all." He sighed.

"Is this why I am here? To be notified about a possible change in the law?" She was so confused. Was this a dream or some kind of joke? Without being too obvious she looked around to see if they were being followed or if there was anyone near by.

There wasn't.

"Not quite my dear. The reason for our meeting is much more exciting than a change in the law." He beamed at her in excitement.

"And that is…?" She asked as he hadn't told her yet.

"Lord Orion has asked for your hand in marriage." He announced grandly to her, obviously pleased.

Annabeth stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, her face turning a sickly white colour as she stared at Sir Geoffrey, absolutely horrified. It took all her self-control to not puke or run away screaming down the hall.

"So soon?" She managed to breath.

Truth be told, Annabeth knew it had been coming – there was no way it couldn't have been- she just hadn't expected it to be so soon. She'd been banking on the fact that Orion would go through _all_ the proper channels and try to court her properly first before he asked for hand. He loved it when they put on a show after all. She was going to use that time to plot and hatch and escape plan back to Avalon, possibly with the help of Merlin but Orion had probably been expecting that. It was the most predictable move however sometimes the only thing you can do is be predictable. This was one of those times.

"Yes, isn't it wonderful? Now my dear, he is planning on proposing at dinner tonight. I must urge you to accept his proposal. Lord Orion will have you well looked after my dear, I can promise you that." He took her hand and stared encouragingly into her eyes, willing her to believe him and do as he said.

"What would happen if I refused?" She asked slowly, beginning to walk again as her mind tried to find a possible solution.

"Lord Orion would be humiliated and quite possibly very angry but no one would force you to marry him," The smile slid off of his wrinkled face. "You must keep in mind that this would all be very different if you had any family alive of a named guardian."

"Can I not pick and appropriate guardian for myself?" She asked, desperation edging her voice. If she could choose her guardian then maybe she could free herself from Lord Orion.

"Unfortunately not," The old man sighed. "You have been named a Ward of the State and the prince is your guardian."

"And he agreed to let me be married?" She was so shocked she accidentally shouted the question out.

"Lady Annabeth, you must understand how expensive it will be for a state with a slowly declining amount of money to suddenly have to pay out a large sum of money to look after you. Regretfully Prince Arthur had no choice in the matter, had the matter actually been taken to him." He suddenly seemed to become very tense as an angry look flashed behind Annabeth's eyes.

"You didn't take the matter to him? You mean to tell me that he doesn't know?" She was so angry she couldn't even raise her voice. She tried to keep control of herself but it was very hard. She was not important enough to take to the prince! His stupid council of old idiots were sneaking around behind his back, taking clearly important matters such as the well-fare of another human being and just doing what they wanted about it! Where was the justice? What had probably been her only line of defence, the HIGHEST POWERIN THE KINGDOM, had been completely ignored! Did fate want her to die? Was she really that bad a person that she deserved to live the rest of her short life without love but with constant pain and abuse as her companion leading up to her pending death?

Apparently so.

"Lady Annabeth," an all too familiar voice drawled from right behind her, causing her heart to slam into her stomach.

"Lord Orion," she turned and forced a smile. "We were just talking about you."

"May I accompany you two down to dinner? I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you before our evening meal." He spoke in a sickly sweet manner that made her want to gag.

"Of course you may Lord Orion," Sir Geoffrey replied quickly for her as Annabeth sent him a pleading look. "I just remembered I left an important document unattended in my chambers and I simply must tend to it before dinner. Do remember what I said Lady Annabeth and I will see you soon." With that he was off down the corridor, walking as fast as his little legs could carry him. What on earth had Orion done to the man to frighten him so?

"Listen here you little bitch," Orion spat in her face. She flinched as he grabbed hold of her upper arm tightly and specks of saliva flew into her open eyes. "If you say no or humiliate me in any way, I will personally rip your pretty little throat out. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly Lord Orion." She croaked, nodding and opening her stinging eyes.

"Good," He purred, grinning like a cat that'd just caught himself a big juicy bird. "Now you're going to look like you're enjoying my company, _aren't you_?"

Annabeth nodded in what she hoped seemed an eager manner as she slipped her arm through his so that they were linked together and forced a dazzling smile.

"I look forward to your proposal." She lied fluently.

"As you should be," He drawled.

Internally, Annabeth shuddered as they walked closer and closer to the Great Hall, her impending fate getting closer with every step they took.

In the Great Hall, Arthur insisted Annabeth sat on his right hand side. The entire court was gathered in the room, laughing and gossiping loudly over the merry music being played in the background by a small orchestra set up in a far corner. Annabeth laughed, ate and argued like everyone else around her but her heart wasn't quite in it and she was sure Arthur could tell that she was holding back however he didn't do anything about it. She was waiting for the dreaded moment when Lord Orion would stand up and command the attention of the entire room. Part of her mind was nagging away at her to tell Arthur but what could he do? A lot was the answer but was a lot enough to protect her from Lord Orion's vicious, greedy hands?

"Arthur?" She asked him as he finished recovering from one of Gwain's jokes.

"Yes Lady Annabeth?" He grinned at her, causing her heat to beat faster.

She glanced over at Lord Orion who was staring at her and she quickly lost her nerve and turned pale. He was about to do it. She could tell. There was no escape now. She was about to sentence herself to death and there was nothing she could do about it. Not even Arthur could save her now.

"What is it Anna?" He frowned, using his pet name for her (no matter how many times she told him he just wouldn't stop calling her that, not that she minded really. In fact she secretly loved it but she never let on that she did) as he suddenly snapped into a more serious mood by the colour draining from her face.

"Your majesty?" Lord Orion asked, rising out of his chair to face his prince.

The noise in the room instantly dropped. Annabeth began to move from her sea in a last minute attempt to flee the scene but Arthur grabbed hold of her wrist tightly, pinning her to the table. He was not going to let her leave his side tonight.

"Lord Orion." He nodded back, smiling majestically.

"I wonder if I could ask a very special lady of the Court an important question with the entire court as witnesses?" Orion remained amiable and polite as people around the tables began whispering conspiratorially to their neighbours. Only Arthur, Annabeth, Merlin and the knights remained silent Arthur's grip on Annabeth's wrist tightening and causing her to wince in pain.

"I would certainly say so as you seem to have gained the interest of the Court," Arthur tried to keep his jolly demeanour but it was slipping out of his grasp. How could he say no in front of all of these people? He knew what was coming and it made him feel sick but he could not humiliate Lord Orion. That would put Annabeth in too much danger.

"Lady Annabeth," Lord Orion turned to her but remained standing in the same place. "Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Arthur caught a brief look of horror quickly flash across Annabeth's face before it transformed into an apparently delighted smile.

"I would be delighted to do such an honour," She nodded her head once to him gracefully, causing his greedy grin to flash her way.

"What do you think you're doing?" Arthur hissed as Lord Orion sat back down, the music covering his speech as it struck up over the conversation again.

"Sentencing myself to a life of misery Arthur because it's either that or death." She hissed back, hiding her single tear from him.

**Please read and review!**


	19. Chapter 19

Arthur could not restrain himself. He used his hold on Annabeth's wrist to drag her up and out of the hall. He locked himself in his furious thoughts and didn't say a word as he dragged her to his chambers. He slammed the doors hut behind them and rounded on Annabeth the second the doors to closed.

"Annabeth, you can't do this." He said relatively calmly for how angry he was feeling.

"I have no choice." She hissed back, glaring at him for causing a scene back at dinner.

"There's always a choice Anna! You of all people should know that!" He started pacing, unable to stand still. Pacing allowed him to release some of the pent up emotino he felt without harming Annabeth. He couldn't harm Annabeth.

"He threatened to rip out my throat Arthur. I'm not ready to die yet." Annabeth's voice caught in her throat at the end of her sentence and whatever other snappy thing she'd been ready to say was lost.

"He what?" Arthur roared. "Anna, why didn't you tell me? I could have protected you from this!"

"Because as I was about to tell you he proposed! Arthur, do you really think you could protect me from a greedy man with everything he could possibly need to get to me at his disposal? He would slaughter anyone in his way to get to me and we both know it so let's not pretend otherwise." She snapped, forcing away the tears that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Why did no one ask me? Protocol says that a man must ask me before they marry you!" Arthur fumed, moving on. He did not wish to discuss that topic.

"He went to the council. It's financially beneficial for the kingdom if Orion marries me so they felt it was not _necessary _to take the matter to you." Annabeth seethed with anger now, getting as worked up as Arthur.

"Fi-" Arthur was so lost in his rage that he could no longer speak. He threw a chair across the room to try and calm himself. Annabeth flinched and moved out of his range, slightly frightened now.

"Why can't I protect you from him?" Arthur's voice wavered as he looked at her with wet eyes.

"Because he is a vicious and powerful man and no one can stop him." Annabeth growled, starting to cry.

"Annabeth, you can't marry him. You just can't." Arthur told her desperately, moving closer to her so they were inches apart.

"Arthur, you're being ridiculous," She tried to laugh through her tears but it failed.

Without warning, Arthur smashed his lips against Annabeth's, pulling her body to his and wrapping his arms securely around her wait. Annabeth froze. She had been yearning for this ever since she met Arthur but her mind was screaming at her, telling her how dangerous this was and not to give in to her desires if she wanted to stay alive. She had a split-second to make a decision and the fear of losing Arthur forever in death made up her mind for her. She ripped herself away from Arthur and gasped several breaths.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" She asked him angrily, still breathing heavily.

"Don't lie and tell me you don't feel it too!" He shouted at her, more hurt than angry. She couldn't pick Orion, she was his. All his. "You are drawn to me as much as I am to you and we both know it!"

Tell the truth or lie? Tell the truth or lie? Which one would hurt less? Which one would their hearts survive?

"It doesn't matter what I feel. I am a woman and my feelings are inconsequential. Orion would kill me himself the moment he had the chance if he even had the slightest inkling that there was more than friendship between us and he'd have you killed as well for stealing his prize! If you die, Uther dies too and Camelot will fall all over an insignificant woman. Is that what you want? Is it?" The thought suddenly popped into her head and she shouted it out angrily at Arthur, trying to get through to him the reality of the situation.

"You," He took a deep breath to try and calm himself. "Are not insignificant. You are not inconsequential." He stared into her eyes. What was she trying to do to him? Make him yell and scream and throw things at her? Turn him into a bad guy? He didn't understand her motives as well as he thought he would.

"Am I worth dying over?" She glared at him. She wanted to sit on the edge of the table but Arthur still had her locked in his arms.

"Orion couldn't kill me." Arthur told her arrogantly.

"Yes he could! An angry, greedy man who has just lost the prize he's been working towards for over half a decade is capable of anything! He would use magic to get to you, *amn the risk! He will kill you and Camelot will fall. Is that what you want?" Her voice rose in anger but Arthur still refused to put any distance between them.

"Annabeth, stop." Arthur told her warningly but she went on. Now she was on a roll. If she could just make him angry enough at her that he'd leave her alone then he would be safe.

"What about Gwen? What about her Arthur? What about how you promised to marry her and now you're going to leave her?"

"How do you know about Gwen?" Arthur let go of her as if she'd burned him.

"Does it matter?" Annabeth began to advance on him. "I know and that is enough. You barely know me Arthur yet you're willing to leave her, the girl who's devoted her heart to you, for me? What does that say about you Arthur? Why should I trust you with my heart and my protection from death when you can do the same to me as you did to her? I am nothing more than an obsession to you, aren't I? An obsession you've taken too far and it's time to stop now. It's time to stop and go back to Gwen because she's the one you truly love, isn't she?"

"Shut up Annabeth! SHUT UP!" He shouted, backing away from the cursed woman into a closed wardrobe. "You don't know anything about me or how I feel!"

"I know a lot more than you credit me for." She said savagely, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Get out."

Annabeth didn't need telling twice. She hitched up her skirts and bolted from the room, allowing tears to flow freely as she went. How could she let herself be so cruel to him? He didn't deserve it but maybe she did deserve Lord Orion after all.

Annabeth wasn't looking at where she was going so she accidentally slammed into Merlin in the corridor outside Arthur's room. HE caught her expertly as she mumbled a hasty apology and fled before he could quiz her on why she was crying. She didn't want to talk or speak to any men for a while.

Merlin blinked, thinking he was confused but in reality he wasn't. He was pretty sure he understood what was going on. He didn't wait for an answer as he knocked on the door and just strode in. He found Arthur huddled on the floor in front of his wardrobe and the look on the prince's face told him all he needed to know.

May had had a relatively normal day. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She had woken up at dawn, fed the chickens, collected the eggs, organized the wheat to be ground and ordered the boys working for her husband around as they ought to be. At lunch she cooked a meal and washed the dishes afterwards. In the afternoon she baked some bread just like she did every afternoon. The only out of the ordinary thing occurred when she was waiting for the bread to arrive: The prince of Camelot barrelled into her kitchen, searching for her in a rather desperate manner.

"You have to help me." He begged her, gasping for breath slightly.

May raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I suggest you sit down your majesty." May told him, gesturing to her dust covered table.

Arthur sat without complaint and looked up at her, a kind of innocent desperation often found in young children lurking behind his eyes.

"Will you help me?" He asked again.

"With what your majesty? You've not told me what you need help with." May took a seat opposite him and looked at Arthur with wise and expectant eyes.

"Surely you must know by now that Annabeth is planning to marry Lord Orion." Arthur told her, wide-eyed. In the past day it had spread right across the kingdom that plans were already being made for their wedding that was due in less than a month.

"And you want me to help you stop the wedding?" May asked slowly. What an odd request.. Could he not do that himself?

"Not quite. You're friends with Annabeth, aren't you?" Arthur asked, leaning forward.

"I looked after her until she was about 8. I know her." May said grudgingly.

Arthur's jaw dropped open.

"You're supposed to be dead," He told her, frowning in confusion. "Anna told me you died."

"Dear little Annabeth," May smiled fondly, thinking of the little eight year-old girl she once knew and the young woman she'd watched from a distance for the past few years. "When I was brought to Camelot they found me innocent and let me off. I was going to go back to Annabeth and Grace (her mother) but I met my husband and I fell in love instantly. I stayed here with him." Grace explained simply.

"Oh. But Anna doesn't know you're alive yet you came to help her the day she drowned?" Arthur was confused, trying to get his head around the fact that this woman was alive.

"I was going to re-introduce myself to her that day but obviously I never got the chance." May answered coolly. Something didn't seem quite right to Arthur but he ignored the feeling. He needed help and he was certain May was the only one who could give it to him.

"You don't believe me," May laughed, reading Arthur's look. "I bet it wasn't even your idea to come to me for help."

"No, it was actually Merlin's idea." Arthur half-laughed, staring off into the corner.

"Do you want my help still?" She asked, leaning forward.

"Yes. Annabeth needs to be saved." Arthur met her eyes now, focused on his goal.

"And how do you plan to do that?" May raised an eyebrow.

Arthur looked around the room before answering.

"You're going to kidnap her."

**Ack! Super short chapter but it was kinda hard to write :P I promise the next chapter will be MUCH longer. Please review!**


	20. Chapter 20

_The Miller's wife sat alone at the kitchen table in her husband's house, watching the sun sink behind the trees bordering the horizon, a quill poised in her hand and a single sheet of parchment resting motionless on the table, ready to hold May's last, loving words to the man she's spent the best part of 12 years with._

Up at the castle Arthur stood motionless in front of one of the windows in his bedchamber, hands clasped behind his back as he watched the same sunset as his accomplice. Merlin stood a metre behind him and slightly to Arthur's right so he was unable to see the sunset (not that it mattered to him. His mind was on Annabeth: how miserable she'd looked that day and how there appeared to be a large, hand-shaped bruise forming on her upper-arm). All three of them were waiting for the sun to set completely so that their plan could be set into motion.

_As the sun disappeared behind the treeline, May's quill slammed onto the paper and she scribbled a hasty goodbye to her beloved husband. Tossing the quill away, she traded it for a plain hooded black cloak. She sped out of the front door as she put on the cloak without so much as a single backwards glance. _

"It's time." Arthur announced grimly, forcing himself away from the window.

"Are you sure about this?" Merlin asked, remaining still as he assessed Arthur's mental condition.

"Merlin," Arthur said sternly. "We have to do this."

He was desperate. How could Merlin say no?

Merlin nodded in reply and tried not to let out a sigh. Without another word they left the room, Merlin a few steps behind Arthur.

_May stuck to the shadows as she flitted through the streets, agile as a humming bird. She was completely calm as she slipped past some patrolling guards and into the castle through a concealed side-door sunk deep into the ground so it was barely noticeable. Inside it was pitch black but that didn't put May off in the slightest. She muttered something under her breath and her eyes flashed a dangerous gold briefly before they started to glow, illuminating anything she looked at with two pale beams of light that only she could see._

_Cautiously she crept forward, following the map that Arthur had given her to memorize. Having a piece of paper would get her into trouble if she was caught. May knew she wouldn't get caught but she obeyed Arthur's wish anyway. Even though she was alone, the old woman hardly dared to breath. Too much was at stake to make a noise._

_Unfortunately, she hadn't been expecting the thunderclap._

Merlin jumped as the thunderclap sounded, clumsily knocking into a rickety old table with a metal vase on it. Merlin lunged and caught the vase before it clattered to the floor.

"Merlin stop being an idiot!" Arthur hissed, stopping just before the corner to glare at Merlin as he placed the vase back on the table. The torchlight threw oddly shaped shadows across his face, enhancing the tortured look locked in his eyes.

"Sorry." Merlin apologised, looking at the floor.

"Come on." Arthur growled, dragging his servant around the corner and through an old wooden door.

_May clamped her hands over her mouth to restrain herself from screaming. She peered around but no one was near, nor were they running down the hall to attack her. Slowly she let out a shaky breath, glad that the old wooden door to her left remained firmly shut._

_May allowed herself to remain still for a moment and closed her eyes as she started counting to the next thunderclap. She'd noticed the storm brewing on her way up to the castle but she couldn't have predicted how soon it had come to life._

_Once she was satisfied with the timing between strikes, May shot off down the dank corridor, reminding anyone who could have seen her (had they have known where she was and possessed the ability to watch her without being seen themselves) of a cat doused in a bucket of ice-cold water, to make up for lost time. _

"How much time do we have until Sir Geoffrey gets back?" Merlin asked, scanning the crowded bookshelf looking for nothing in particular.

"It doesn't matter. I'm the prince and it's my castle." Arthur said through gritted teeth, not believing in his own words for a second as he stiffly searched through Geoffrey's desk, hoping there would be some kind of document that would help him find what he was looking for.

"And what exactly are we looking for?" Merlin carried on casually, inspecting the spine of a large blue volume.

"Merlin-" another crash of thunder cut Arthur off.

_May didn't jump this time as she knew what was coming. Another thunderclap masked the boom of the door as she magically blew it open. She didn't have time for fussy spells that would make her undetectable. She had to get her Annabeth away before the evil lord stole her away for good._

"This way," Arthur nodded to Merlin, moving out from behind the desk.

He clutched a piece of parchment tightly in his hand, finally having found what he was looking for in the desk draw. Arthur led Merlin over to the far corner of the room where the shelves were mostly empty and there was less dust.

"Remember, the book is going to be about 20 years old if not less." Arthur reminded Merlin as he pulled out a thick brown leather bound book off the shelf and began to scan its already yellowing pages.

_Yellow things were growing on the wide set of worn stone steps that May climbed. Her aching back was pressed firmly to the wall. A tiny white flame was born in her hand, ready to shoot out at any attacker that dared stand in her way. Silently she prayed that she would not have to use her elemental weapon but deep down May knew that she would be the cause of several deaths tonight. If death was the price she had to pay to keep her baby alive and safe then so be it._

_May froze as an unsuspecting guard halted at the top of the stairs. Hiding her hand behind her back, May kept incredibly still, knowing that her black cloak and dark skin would help her blend into the shadows. After a minute of staring at the pot right over May's shoulder the guard carried on down the corridor and May resumed her ascent into a ring of Camelot's guards._

"This is hopeless!" Arthur growled, tossing another book onto the floor.

"It would be easier if I knew _exactly_ what we were looking for." Merlin added innocently, not looking up from his book.

"I told you already you useless idiot." Arthur snapped, picking up a new book.

"No, you told me we're looking for records of old witch trials. You need to be more specific than that." Merlin snapped the book shut as he reached the last page.

"Fine," Arthur rolled his eyes and gave in. "We're looking for records of May Miller."

"Isn't that Annabeth's friend? Why are we looking for her in the witch trials if she was proven innocent?" Merlin stopped and turned to Arthur.

"Annabeth's old nurse and we're looking for her because I think she should be dead."

_May had no more than a second to take in her surroundings._

_She was at an x shaped junction, T-shaped if you didn't count the stairs behind her. Each of the three other corridors that split off were made of dark stone and had low ceilings. Torches were placed at regular intervals down each of the corridors as far as the eye could see and two guards were stationed at the mouth of each of the three corridors, all of whom were staring at her. In order to get to Annabeth in the quickest amount of time she had to at least knock out all of the guards and take the corridor to her left._

_The second passed but time seemed to go slow as a guard opened his mouth to speak. _ _May yanked the whip and the guard came crashing to the floor._

"_WITCH!" Another guard screamed_

_May spun to face him, a lethal look on her old face._

_He was next._

"There has to be a faster way to do this!" Arthur was one step away from ripping his hair our as he tossed aside another book.

"Am I supposed to try and answer that?" Merlin asked from several shelves over, turning another page. He looked up just in time to catch the scathing look Arthur threw him and mentally thanked whatever deity was out there that it wasn't a heavier or more solid object instead.

Sighing, Merlin picked up the next book and opened it to the first page. His eyes went wide as he read the words on the first page.

"Arthur?" he called out, unable to take his eyes off the page.

"_What_ Merlin?" Arthur groaned impatiently.

"I've found the right book."

_May moved quickly through the castle, not bothering to conceal herself. The pile of unconscious and burnt bodies meant that they knew there was an intruder in the castle. It was only a matter of minutes (if that) until the warning bells went off and she didn't have the strength or the time. She needed time… _

_May found it odd that there were no other obstacles blocking her way to Annabeth as she reached the right floor but she didn't complain, nor did she let her guard down. This was the best thing to do or she might not have seen one of Orion's men spring down from a perch high up on the wall to attack her._

"Give it here!" Arthur snapped, snatching the considerably small yet thick book off of Merlin.

"Witch trials from the past 20 years." Merlin clarified calmly.

"How old is Annabeth?" Arthur asked, racking his brains. He _knew_ this but fear, anxiety and another unfamiliar emotion were pent up inside of him, tumbling about inside his brain and making it impossible for Arthur to think straight.

"Twenty-one," Merlin replied without hesitation. Despite rarely seeing his friend there were some things he definitely did know.

_Only a year younger than me_, Arthur couldn't help but think as he did the maths in his head.

"The records should be from about 12 years ago then," He nodded reassuringly to himself. "She lost May at the age of nine." Arthur began to flick through the pages, pausing to scan the information on each one before moving on.

_The whip of fire burst out of May's palm again as she sank into a predatory crouch. She bared her teeth at the masked attacker as she lashed her whip out at him, burning the side of his face and setting the material of his mask on fire. The attacker ignored his burning face and lunged with his sword only to find flames coiled around the blade, heating the metal rapidly. Howling, the attacker dropped the hilt of the sword as his skin ripped off it. He stared at the sizzling flesh on his hand in horror, not noticing his sword flying back up into the air to stab him in the gut and lodge itself there._

_May didn't stay to hear the choking sobs of her blood-covered victim as she ran off to find Annabeth's room, leaving poor Henry Cleveland to die alone._

"I've found it."

The sound of Arthur's voice pulled Merlin from his thoughts. He was extremely bored by now and staring out of the small window in the corner of the room into the pure darkness below, listening to the thunder and the rain while he waited for Arthur do his thing.

"Are you going to read it out loud?" Merlin asked, drifting away from the window, sounded much less interested than he actually was.

"May Miller (that was her maiden name as well as her married name)," Arthur read aloud.

_Time slowed again as May battled her way through Orion's, all of them moving in slow motion. _

"Found on the border of the kingdom picking fruits from a royal orchard using witchcraft."

_Man after man fell to the floor, screaming in pain as bits of their flesh melted and burned. No one came to aid them as May had stopped their cries for help from reaching anyone but her._

"Ms Miller was taken to Camelot and imprisoned for seven days in the dungeon to await trial."

_May put her hand on the doorknob to Annabeth's room and looked over her shoulder at the carnage strewn behind her._

"When on trial in front of the King,"

_The door creaked open and she slipped into the spotless room, forgetting to close the door behind her._

"Verdict…"

_May silently rushed over to the bed and surveyed the tormented sleeping face of Annabeth._

"Guilty."

"But that means…" Merlin frowned, crossing his arms and facing Arthur.

_A large dark figure glided through the open door, sword glinting in the moonlight that shone through the window but May didn't see it as her back was to the door._

"Date of death: fourteen years ago today." Arthur's tone rung with finality.

"_Anna…" May whispered, smiling at the girl regarded as her daughter._

_Trembling, she caressed the girl's face lightly, savouring that final image as a sword was shoved through her back, staking her heart as a lightning bolt shattered the cobblestones beneath the closest window. _

Lightning struck incredibly close to the castle causing both men to jump out of their skins. The book in Arthur's hand clattered to the floor as Arthur and Merlin stared at each other.

"Does that mean…?" Merlin trailed off, his mind reeling with the possibilities.

"We've just handed Anna over to a witch." Arthur finished, turning extremely pale.

The warning bell rang loud and clear through the castle and Arthur blanched. He didn't need to look at Merlin to know they were thinking the same thing.

"Annabeth." They said in unison.

Together Arthur and Merlin bolted from the room, racing to Annabeth's room. They didn't hesitate at the end of the corridor where Gaius and his team of medics were moving the wounded. They went straight into Annabeth's room where the other knights were already waiting. Gwain was perched on the edge of the bed with a comforting arm around Annabeth's shoulders as she sat huddled up against the headboard. On the floor in the middle of the room, May Miller's corpse lay face up on the floor, the sword still protruding from her chest. The knights did their best to block May from Annabeth's line of view but she could still see May's face between their legs.

"Arthur," Sir Leon broke away from the group to approach him.

"Not in front of her," Arthur shook his head and brushed him off.

Upon seeing Arthur, Gwain withdrew his arm from around Annabeth and went to stand with the other knights.

"Arthur?" Annabeth called out, not seeing him as her eyes were locked on May's face.

"I'm here," Arthur said softly, moving closer to her.

"Her blood. It's on my clothes." She told him squeakily, tears pouring down her pale face.

Arthur wasn't sure what to do at first. He'd not seen Annabeth like this in the admittedly short time he'd known her. Annabeth had always seem so unafraid of death and so strong this new, vulnerable side of her was something so completely new.

"I knew her. I knew her and now I'm covered in her blood," She continued in a terrified whisper. "She was already dead and then she died again and her blood…"

Arthur was unsure if she was talking to him or not when he had an idea.

"Come on Anna," he lifted her body off of the bed and remained stoic as she clung to him like a child would to its parent. He carried her to behind the changing screen and took off his blue shirt.

"Take off your night dress and put it on." He instructed her quietly but firmly, guessing that that was what Annabeth needed right then. He was right.

As he moved away, he heard Annabeth stripping and still crying. Arthur snapped into protector male mode once his back was to her as seeing Annabeth in that way broke his heart.

"Leon, can you get someone to move the body to Gaius' chambers? In fact, could you get Gaius himself? That would be best. Lancelot can you cover the body with a sheet or something please? This is obviously very upsetting for Lady Annabeth and until we know who this is or why she was here, I'd rather not disturb the lady any further." Arthur ordered.

"Knowing who killed her might be nice as well." Gwain muttered bitterly, glancing at the corpse of his old friend.

"You're not suggesting Lady Annabeth are you?" Elyan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Gwain opened his mouth to snap back a retort but someone else spoke, cutting him off.

"Just because I'm crying doesn't mean I can't hear." Annabeth sniffed, wiping her eyes on the cuff of the too long shirt sleeve.

Luckily, Arthur's shirt was too big for Annabeth so the hem fell a third of the way down her thighs but the spilt in the front of the shirt revealed a bit more of her cleavage than she liked. Arthur quite liked seeing Annabeth in his shirt and the sight made him feel all hot and sweaty. All of the males in the room were staring at her, a primal look of desire in their eyes which made Annabeth feel more than uncomfortable as they all seemed to be locked on either the split in her shirt or the place where her legs left the fabric. She shifted uneasily from foot to foot as she absent-mindedly twisted the shirt fabric around one of her fingers, bunching it up at one side. Her tears were mostly dry but fear and the image of May's dead body still lingered behind her eyes.

"My apologies. You're right." Arthur managed to choke out after a pregnant pause, ripping his eyes from her legs as he became aware of how erratically his heart was beating. "I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate."

"Where is she? Is she okay?" Lord Orion's unmistakable baritone bellowed from outside in the hallway, causing Annabeth to let out an audible whimper. "Annabeth? Annabeth my love?"

Orion barged into the room, un-phased by the dead body, the excess of men in the room or Annabeth's lack of clothes.

"Oh Annabeth! Thank heavens you're alright!" Orion sighed in relief, waddling as fast as he could over to her.

He drew her into his arms for a hug, his hands tactfully resting on her bum. Annabeth did her best not to squirm or protest although it was hard for the others in the room to miss her desperately uncomfortable look.

"Do not fret my love, you shall sleep in my own chamber tonight whilst I rest with my man-servant. There is no way on this Earth that I will let anyone else touch you tonight or ever again!" He vowed, seemingly innocently enough but Arthur understood his message perfectly: Not even Arthur himself could touch her now. No, Annabeth was _all_ his.

Arthur watched grimly and silently as Annabeth allowed herself to be dragged away by her future husband.

"This woman was innocent and he had something to do with it, didn't he?" Gwain asked in a low voice, his face screwed up in disgust.

"Even if he was we couldn't pin anything on him without a witness and Lady Annabeth was still asleep when this woman was murdered." Lancelot frowned, nudging May with the toe of his boot.

"Surely he'd have an accomplice of sorts, if not a man to murder this woman for him." Percival suggested.

"Well if Orion planned to have anyone that got into Annabeth's room killed then some of his men might know." Merlin piped up.

"The ones still alive with their memories intact you mean." Elyan reminded her dejectedly.

"Still, there's no harm in trying." Leon shrugged.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked gently, looking at their prince for guidance.

He was frozen in place, still staring at the spot where Annabeth had vanished like a love-sick puppy.

"If," he started slowly. "We can pin this on Orion then he will be sent to prison at least and Annabeth won't be able to marry him." The thoughts in Arthur's head rolled into a neat ball, increasing in size ready to rumble out of his mouth but Arthur had regained control now. He was in control.

"I say we do it. Find a way to pint it on him and free her, no matter what it takes." He said decisively, knowing full well that he was doing this for purely selfish reasons but Annabeth deserved better than Orion and Arthur loved her so he had to do it.

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	21. Chapter 21

Arthur didn't see Annabeth for a week after the incident. Every time he tried, Orion would say that she was in bed, resting and recovering from the incident which infuriated Arthur. Who was Orion to tell him not to see his Annabeth? He was the prince and Orion was beneath him! Arthur became even angrier when Gaius came to him to tell him that Orion was right and that he ought to stay away from her. Arthur had convinced himself that Annabeth had told him to say that on Orion's orders but he couldn't be sure. Now he was irritable all the time and he was certainly making Merlin's life a living hell. When Merlin tried to see Annabeth he had even less luck than Arthur (which made no sense to either of them) it just put him in a worse mood.

It was a Tuesday when Arthur finally managed to see Annabeth. She had been reinstalled into Morgana's old chambers at Arthur's insistence and despite her protests (not that Arthur had experienced them first hand as he would have liked to) that is where she stayed almost all of the time. It was in Morgana's old bedchamber that Arthur first saw Annabeth and he didn't like what he saw at all.

It had been little more than a week since he had seen her and in that short space of time Annabeth had changed dramatically. Arthur could see bruises blossoming all over her abnormally pale skin, especially on her arms – he could see the biggest bruises through the semi-transparent material that made up the sleeves to her seaweed green velvet dress – and dark shadows had formed under her bloodshot eyes indicated that she wasn't sleeping. Her dress hung off of her like a sack and Arthur could only guess she wasn't eating. How on earth had anyone let her get this way? It was so wrong! Arthur understood that Orion didn't really care if she lived or died as long as she gave him what he wanted but how had Gaius been so blind? Was he the only one with a shred of common sense and compassion in him? Normally Arthur would never describe himself as compassionate but this- this was ridiculous!

"Annabeth?" Arthur asked in disbelief, hovering in the doorway.

She was sat at a small table with sheets of paper and bits of fabric covering the table. Orion sat at the other end, talking quietly with one of his servants but stopped to stand up and bow to Arthur as he entered the room.

"Lord Orion, Lady Annabeth," Arthur greeted them stiffly and formally with a small inclination of his head. He was too shocked at Annabeth's appearance to say much more.

"Prince Arthur," Annabeth's voice trembled as she nodded back to him. "Have you come to approve of the wedding plans?" she asked innocently enough but her words shook Arthur to his very core.

"Yes," Arthur answered immediately, not knowing what else to say to her. He couldn't speak to her properly in front of Orion, not properly like he wanted to. He couldn't shake her and yell at her for something that wasn't her fault. He couldn't kiss her and make her change her mind about marrying that foul man.

Annabeth proceeded to launch into a list of wedding details but something wasn't quite right. She lacked enthusiasm and a stiff smile had lodged itself onto her face. Her tone was cheery but her words were hollow. She didn't want this, Arthur knew it. He knew that he could save her if he were just man enough to confess how he felt.

"Are you pleased my lord?" Orion asked, grinning as Annabeth winded down to a stop.

"Yes, the plans sound wonderful. What date do you both have in mind?" He asked pleasantly. _How much time do I have to rescue her?_

"We've had it cleared to be married in exactly a week's time." Annabeth replied, not looking at Arthur.

"Annabeth, you shall look at your prince as you address him!" Orion scolded. Annabeth flinched, expecting him to come over and hit her. "My apologies sire."

"You do not need to apologise on Lady Annabeth's behalf." Arthur told him, restraining himself from jumping over the table to punch that man. Why was Annabeth letting him put her down so? Something wasn't right – something more than Annabeth agreeing to marry Orion that was.

"I didn't mean to offend you sire." Annabeth murmured, looking at Arthur's chest.

A knock on the door cut off Arthur's response. A burly man with the face of a pig entered the room and bowed to the nobles. He was dressed in Orion's livery and addressed him first.

"Mr Wallace reques's your presence in your chambers my Lord Orion." The man said stiffly, casting a wary eye on Annabeth and Arthur.

Orion turned to Annabeth and Arthur and frowned. He did not like the idea of leaving them alone together but if his suspicion was correct, he would need to see Mr Wallace right away.

"Do not leave the man waiting on my account." Arthur told him, keeping a straight face. He was glad of a reason for the monster to leave. Now he could talk to Annabeth alone. Now he had a chance to save her.

"Thank you indeed sire," Orion gave a small bow to Arthur before turning to Annabeth. "I shall return shortly my love." He waddled over to her and picked up her hand to give it a lingering kiss. The bristles of his beard scratched her hand but Annabeth made no complaint as she watched him follow his man out of the room with the other servant keeping close behind them both, leaving Annabeth and Arthur completely alone.

Arthur slowly made his way to Annabeth, waiting for Orion to definitely be gone before he spoke to her. He looked at her, waiting for her to move yet she stayed sitting in her chair, still as a statue with her eyes trained on a spot in the middle of the table in front of her. Could he tell that she was supressing the urge to scream, to run, to let her body spasm violently because his touch repulsed her so? He was standing next to her, taking deep breaths. Maybe he could feel disgust radiating off of her.

"What the hell Annabeth?" He asked her in a deadly quiet voice.

"Lord Orion will take care of me." Annabeth responded coolly, still not moving. _If killing me means taking care of me then he certainly will._

"_I_ will look after you Anna! How can you do this? You put so much energy into trying to escape him and you just give up? For God's sake he's hurting you!" Arthur banged his fist on the table in front of her in his fury.

She flinched.

"I had a nightmare. I caused them myself." She told him, meaning her bruises. It was a feeble lie and Arthur saw right through it.

"These are too big to be your own doing Anna! Don't lie to me!" He shouted, throwing his hands up to his head and tugging on his hair. He looked crazy and if Annabeth wasn't so scared of Orion and of death, he might have been scaring her a bit too. As it was she just watched him from the corner of her eye, never moving her stare from that spot on the table. "If you just let me I'll take care of you Anna. I _want_ to take care of you! You shouldn't have to marry him!"

There was a long pause and Arthur started pacing the length of the table, trying to get a grip on his anger.

"My name is not Anna." Annabeth told him quietly, ignoring the bigger, more important issue that had just been raised.

"I'm sorry Annabeth. I'm sorry if I offended you but sometimes it's easier to shorten your name," Arthur sighed. "But that's not the point. We can't avoid this for any longer and you know it." He stopped pacing to stare into her eyes.

**Why wouldn't she look at him?**

"What about Guinevere?" Annabeth asked slowly, a tear trickling down the side of her face.

"I'll end it. I'll end it for you if you promise not to marry him." Arthur promised desperately. He fell to his knees in front of her. He would do it in a heartbeat. He needed her so much, why couldn't she see how she made him better?

Annabeth looked at him properly for the first time then. Her mind was reeling with what he'd just told her. It was torture being trapped in her mind. She couldn't tell him what she was really thinking. She wanted to be happy with Arthur but she couldn't. There was a huge problem standing in their way and it wasn't Orion.

"And what happens when we find out we're not right for each other?" She asked him. What would happen to them when he found out she had magic? He would hate her for sure. She couldn't bear that. She couldn't let him hate her. She was going to have to go away, go to a place where she could clear her head. She was going to have to run from Arthur.

Slowly, she got to her feet, staring at him as he did the same.

"That won't happen. We're right for each other. I know we are." Desperation tainted Arthur's voice. He was wrong, so wrong.

"You can't know that. You barely know me." She pointed out, shaking her head as she took a step backwards to clear herself out of the path of the chair.

"And yet I love you already." Arthur told her softly.

It was too much.

She ran around the table to the open door but Arthur got their first. He slammed it closed and turned just in time to catch Annabeth against his chest.

"Arthur, don't do this." Annabeth begged, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Just once Anna. Just once." He told her, wiping away her tears with his thumb. His voice was so gentle and soft, just like his hold on her. Arthur was the complete opposite to Orion. He would never hurt her. Why couldn't she let him love her?

Because it would kill them both.

"What are you thinking?" Arthur asked, searching her eyes for a shred of hope that he could cling on to.

"Just once." Annabeth's voice came out as no more than a whisper as she echoed his words.

Instinctively Arthur's arms tightened around her waist, bringing them even closer together as he bent down and brushed his lips against hers.

"Just once." His breath tickled her face before their lips smashed together.

Annabeth's brain just seemed to switch itself off as a sudden need to become closer to Arthur overwhelmed her. Her hands snaked their way around his middle and up his back to tug lightly on his hair, keeping his face close to hers. The world beyond the kiss was forgotten as the emotions they'd both locked up inside them for what felt like an eternity were released in this one, passionate kiss. Need burned like a thousand suns inside both of them and it was escalating out of their control.

Without warning, Arthur picked Annabeth up, careful not to break their kiss (after all, they only had one) and grinned, holding onto her thighs as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Gently, opposing the rough nature of their kiss, Arthur placed her on the edge of the table, pressing his body closer to hers. Her legs stayed wrapped around his waist and he rubbed them slowly, casually inching his way further and further up. The desire to rip each other's clothes of blazed like an inferno, flicking the switch back in Annabeth's brain and causing her voice of reason to return.

It took a gargantuan amount of effort to rip herself away from Arthur but Annabeth did it, gasping for air and retracting her legs. A blush betrayed her as she stared at a spot on the table next to her. Understanding that she needed space, Arthur backed up, keeping his eyes trained on her as he tried to evaluate how she was feeling.

"All you have to do is say it," He told her. "Just say it and you won't have to marry Peter-"

"I-I-" Annabeth was stunned and still recovering from the intensity of the kiss as she stared at Arthur. She was so confused…

The smiles that had brightened Arthur's face vanished.

"This is wrong." She told him, shaking her head.

"No, it's not." Arthur told her levelly, trying to remain calm.

"It is." With every word that came out of her mouth, Annabeth convinced herself a little bit more that what they were doing was wrong.

"If this was wrong then that wouldn't have happened." Arthur reasoned with her. Why was she doing this to him? Did she enjoy torturing him? What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she just take his love and be grateful? It took all the confidence he had to be saying these things to her and all she did was put him down, kicking his confidence to pieces.

"What wouldn't have happened?" Annabeth asked coolly, fidgeting slightly.

"That! That kiss! That purely magi- I don't even need to describe it because you felt it too! I know you did!" Arthur started tugging on his hair and pacing again. _Calm, just keep calm_.

"What I feel does not matter, nor does it make what we did right." She used the same voice and Arthur could see that he was losing her. He couldn't lose her. He would not live through it. He would not.

"No, Anna, please don't do this to me. Please don't." Arthur took two steps forward and held her small hands in his. "You can't tell me that you don't feel it too. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel it."

There was a brief silence before Annabeth brought her defiant gaze to meet Arthur's.

"I. Feel. Nothing." She glared at him, pronouncing her words clearly so that he understood her.

"Liar!" Arthur threw her hands away. He did not believe her for one moment. She had to love him, she _had _to.

"I may be a liar Arthur but we're both adulterers. Do you know what happens to adulterers? Do you know what our punishment is? Hmm?" She shouted back. She didn't wait for him to answer before she went on. "They brand you! Like a common thief or cattle they brand our face with a letter A for all the world to see! No one is above the law Arthur! No one! Well no one other than he who made it and his son. But still, I'd rather be a liar than have my face branded." She added on spitefully, slipping off of the table.

"How can you act this way?" Arthur demanded to know.

"Because I have no choice if I want to protect the only person I have left to love!" Annabeth cried.

They both stopped and stared at each other as Annabeth's worse sank in. She clapped her hands over her mouth and blinked back tears. She hadn't meant to say that.

"And who… is that?" Pain surged through Arthur as the possibility that she might be in love with someone else hit him.

"I don't have to tell you anything." Annabeth scowled at the floor.

"Annabeth," Arthur warned her, grabbing onto her upper arm. His touch shocked Annabeth and she flinched, almost expecting him to smack her across the face like Orion sometimes did. "Tell me."

"Well who do you think it is?" She growled, glaring up at him.

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking." He explained impatiently.

"It's you." A tear slid down her cheek and Arthur immediately let her go.

"I don't understand. All you seem to want to do is distance yourself from me." He told her quietly, his patience returning.

"No, you wouldn't understand now, would you? It's too obvious! Do you not realise that Orion has decided that if he can't have me, no one can. If I run away, he'll hunt me down and kill me. If I leave him for you or anyone else, he'll kill us both! He doesn't care about the law! He doesn't care if he's sentenced to death!" Annabeth cried. Her body shook with supressed sobs but Arthur dared not touch her again. He'd felt the little shock last time he touched her too and he did not want to cause Annabeth any more pain.

"If you stay with him he'll kill you!" Arthur protested. He grabbed her arm to show her the bruises lining her arm. She winced as he touched her but Arthur had to make her realise what was going to happen.

"Anyway you look at it I'm dead so you might as well give up on me and go with the option that keeps you alive." Annabeth laughed. Her laughter was hollow of humour and it was ice-cold. She really had given up on herself.

"He won't kill me." Arthur muttered darkly.

"Yes he will! He probably killed May too!" Annabeth said heatedly.

"How do you know that?" Arthur snapped, sending her a sharp look.

"I don't. I said probably," She rolled her eyes. "But I know that as sure as hell itself he will kill us both if something happens between us."

"Why are you insisting on destroying every shred of hope I have to offer you? Assuming that he can kill us both wouldn't you much rather spend the rest of your life happy and loved rather than beaten and alone?" He asked her. He wanted to yell and scream at Annabeth but he wouldn't dare hurt her. The fact that he kept his temper was a miracle.

"Of course I would!" Annabeth yelled. The urge to start bashing her head against a wall was alarmingly strong. Yes, it would be better to be loved for the rest of her life with Arthur but the second she slipped up and found out about her magic, he would hate her and her life would end with her being beaten and alone. It would always end that way so she may as well cut the middle man out.

"Then why? Why are you doing this? Why won't you let me love you?" Arthur was back to shouting again.

"Because I'm scared!"

Annabeth couldn't take it anymore. She crumpled into a heap on the floor, hugging her legs and began sobbing freely. She thought she could be strong and remain indifferent in front of Arthur but he couldn't. He was forcing her to feel and feel for him. It was too much. It was just too much. Arthur frowned and crouched down in front of her.

"Anna, you don't need to be scared any more. I'm here and I'll take care of you." Arthur tugged on Annabeth's arms to make her stand up.

"Well I'm sorry Arthur but you're too late," she apologized brokenly, allowing him to help her to her feet.

He was too late. She'd accepted the fact that she would die at Peter Orion's hands. Death was her only escape now. All she had to do was go through the torture of not knowing when her inevitable fate would come.

"I don't believe that." Arthur stroked the side of her face and watched with a small smile as her eyes fluttered close. His hands were soft and warm, making Annabeth wish he were holding her again but he couldn't. She would not let him. It hurt too much to even think about what could have been between them. He had to go.

"Arthur-" she whispered but he cut her off by placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Well you should because it's true," He told her with a discontented sigh.

Annabeth opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't find the words to speak. They both jumped as they heard heavy footsteps in the corridor outside which changed the nature of what Annabeth was going to say.

"With all due respect sire, I must ask you to leave. I have a wedding to plan." She told him formally, taking a step back and casting her eyes to the floor.

"I'm so sorry for wasting your time Lady Annabeth." Arthur replied curtly.

He turned on his heel and marched to the door, unaware that Annabeth had moved slightly behind him so that she was directly behind him but still in the middle of the room. His hand hovered over the door handle and Annabeth tensed. She silently begged him to go. She was a lost cause and they both knew it. Why couldn't he leave her alone? Arthur turned to face Annabeth for the last time. He saw the tears forming in her eyes and his heart broke. Unable to stop himself he ran back to Annabeth and swept her into his arms for a final lingering kiss.

"I'm sorry I was too late." He breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

"So am I." Annabeth whispered as he let her go and left her alone again.

…

"What do you _mean_ "We're out of money"?" Orion roared, grabbing the weedy tax man by the throat.

"My lord," he wheezed, gasping for air. "Your land is no longer making any profit due to the drought and you've spent all your inheritance money."

"Why?" Orion demanded, squeezing tighter around the man's teeny-tiny windpipe.

"I- Don't- Know- It's- Major- Problem." The man's face was starting to turn blue so Orion reluctantly loosened his grip.

"How long have we got until this becomes a problem?" Orion scowled as the man gulped air.

"Two days." He gasped.

"TWO DAYS?" Orion threw the man at the wall and watched as he slid onto the floor. "I get married in a week! Can we not hold off the bills until I get a hold of my wife's money?"

"Are you marrying a woman of considerable wealth?" The tax man asked, rubbing his head.

"Not only does she have considerable wealth but she also possesses intelligence and the ability to be liked by the people. She will know how to fix this misunderstanding." Orion said confidently.

"Then yes, I can hold off the bills but they _must _be paid within the fort night." The tax man got up off the floor and straightened his shirt, keeping a fearful eye on Orion.

"Do not worry my dear man," Orion quickly turned happy as he clapped his hand on the tax man's back, sending him flying forwards again. "You will get your money."

His greedy mind was already coming up with ways to get more money and none of them were lawful in the slightest. Peter Orion had never been a good man and his men were worse than he was. He would get the money, no doubt about it.

"RUNT! THORNE!" He bellowed, turning to look out of the window where he watched Arthur's foolish man servant attempt to feed the horses.

His two most trusted men strode into the room. They looked very similar, so much so that anyone would think they were related when in fact their families were from different kingdoms. Both men were tall, with olive skin, thick black eyebrows and no other facial hair. Muscles rippled down their arms – which they left exposed - across their stomachs and down their legs. Their hair was the same black colour that they left rather long and slicked back behind their ears. Runt, who always stood on the left, had blue eyes opposed to Thorne's green ones and a slightly smaller nose. Thorne also wore brown boots with his black uniform instead of the same red ones Runt wore.

"Mr Runt, if you could escort this man out please and then check up on my wife to see how she's behaving I would be grateful. " Orion commanded.

"Yes my lord." Runt grunted, placing a firm hand on the tax man and steering him out of the room.

"And me, my lord?" Thorne asked gruffly.

"Mr Thorne, I believe it is time you put your, uh, _litgh-fingered_ skills to good use once again. We're in need of money – lots of it. I should not need to tell you to be discreet." Orion turned away from the window and waddled away from it. "However before you do that you shall need to find me a lady friend to work out my… frustrations on. Until Annabeth marries me I must find other outlets for my need." Orion disappeared behind the changing screen.

"Any preference my lord?" Thorne asked stoically.

"Make it a blonde one this time. And send in Laurel. I need help getting undressed." Orion called over the screen.

With a curt bow, Thorne left to carry out his orders.

**Sorry this has taken me so long to update! I've been super busy with exam season but here it is at last!**

**PLEASE READ THIS!**

**Now, if you guys want to see pictures of some of the characters then like my facebook page! Yes, I made a facebook page for that exact purpose. It also tells you what I'm working on with links to the stories too. Just copy and paste **.com/annabethblackfanfiction **into your browser bar thing and like! I don't spam the page so you don't have to worry about that either and it's another way for you to review my work too but I'd prefer reviews on here if I'm honest. **

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	22. Chapter 22

"How did it go?" Merlin asked the second Arthur returned to his chamber.

In response Arthur kicked a chair causing Merlin to jump away from the table in surprise.

"So not well then," he muttered.

"She's marrying him Merlin! In a week!" Arthur raged kicking over another chair. "She's marrying him so he doesn't kill me!" He overturned the table which sent the food covering it flying to the floor.

"Can't you jail him for treason to the crown?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"There's no solid proof. I only have her word." Arthur growled, calming down slightly.

"Surely there must be something we can pin him for," Merlin frowned, trying to think.

"I highly doubt it." Arthur dropped onto the single chair that remained standing from his mini rampage and put his head in his hands. "But I'll look into it. In the meantime I want you and Gwain to supervise Anna in everything she does. Delay the wedding if you can and if not… just don't let him hurt her."

"Why us?" Merlin felt confused but also proud.

"Gwain won't be afraid to act to protect her and you're a fool Merlin. Your clumsiness will basically guarantee a delay in the wedding." Arthur looked up at him with an "isn't it obvious?" look on his face.

"Thanks." Merlin said sarcastically, pride vanishing.

"Right, I'm off to find Gwain and Lancelot. I expect this room to be spotless by the time I get back." Arthur seemed to be his old self again as he stood up and picked his way through the mess to the door.

"What about Annabeth?" Merlin asked, trying to worm his way out of his job. Someone else could do it. He wanted to see his friend.

Arthur hesitated at the door.

"Spotless." He repeated, keeping his back to Merlin.

After another moment's hesitation he gave a curt nod and walked out of the door.

…

"I don't like it." Gwain shook his head as he circles Annabeth once more.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the past hour!" Annabeth reminded him.

She wanted to tear out clumps of his hair and gouge out his eyes. Arthur had insisted that Gwain and Merlin help her with the wedding planning for some absurd reason yet all they seemed to be doing was being nuisances. So far they're been pestering Annabeth over every small detail and threw what could only be described as a shocked tantrum when they discovered Annabeth didn't have a "honeymoon dress" for her first appearance with Lord Orion as his wife. This lead to the tailor being summoned to the castle and Annabeth having to spend an extremely frustrating hour on a stone block while the damned dress was created around her. At the table in her room Merlin sorted through the paperwork, keeping suspiciously quiet with his back turned to the other occupants of the room.

"Let's see." Merlin swivelled around in his chair and burst out laughing at the sight of Annabeth.

"Shut _up_ Merlin!" Annabeth snapped. "If you'd listened to my in the first place Gwain this wouldn't have happened."

She looked down at the itchy monstrosity that covered her body and winced as she tugged on the sleeve. The skirt was the shape of a bell (something rarely –if ever- worn by the most fashionable of all the women in kingdoms far and near) made of thick olive coloured material with black swirling patterns embroidered into it. A thick plain black ribbon lined the bottom of her skirt and her corset was made of the same material as her skirt with a black lace ribbon lining her bust and extended to hold up her puffy off-the-shoulder sleeves that were bunched up above and below her elbows and fastened using black bows. Needless to say Annabeth didn't look very impressed as she fiddled with her golden cross pendant and glared at Gwain.

"Sorry my lady, you were right," Gwain bowed his head solemnly for a moment before springing back into life. "Tailor, we must start over again!" He clapped his hands twice and grinned.

Annabeth groaned but no one heard her over the crash of Merlin tripping over one of the boxes of materials (he'd gotten up to get a better look at the monstrosity before him).

"Merlin!" Gwain smirked as he scolded the fool.

Annabeth made a frustrated noise and stormed off behind the screen to rip the dress off.

"Tailor, I think we should try an orange one this time." Gwain tried to be serious but laughter betrayed him – this was too fun.

…

Arthur, Lancelot, Percival Leon and Elyan walked down the torch-lit corridor discussing what they'd found out about Orion and the answer was a big fat nothing.

"Shouldn't that have swords behind it?" Leon asked out of the blue, pointing to one of the shields on the wall.

"I've noticed quite a few of them like that. I thought they'd been taken down for cleaning or something." He admitted with a frown.

Arthur shook his head. "If they were being cleaned the shields would have been taken down too. Those swords are worth quite a lot. They never leave the walls."

"They're not the only expensive things stolen lately." A familiar female voice informed them.

The men in the group turned around to see a worried looking Gwen rounding the corner and approaching them. They parted so that she could walk straight up to Arthur who had a troubled look on his face.

"Half the items from the armoury have been taken."

At Gwen's words the alarm bells rang through the castle, shocking the men and making several of them jump in surprise. They all looked at Gwen, their expressions ranging from shock to mild concern to confusion.

"That's not everything, is it? The warning bells wouldn't go off just for that." Arthur asked.

Gwen swallowed and looked straight into Arthur's eyes, worry flooding through the both of them.

"We think your father's crown has been taken too."

…

All the occupants of the castle were immediately ordered to reconvene in the large hall were they would be registered while their rooms were searched. No one would be allowed in and out of the castle while a handful of guards would stand on every known exit. As it was bordering towards early evening the entire court were sent down to the great hall at what could be thought of as awkward times. Many of the lords had been bathing (for it was that time of the month) and had only been permitted to grab large towels to cover themselves before being marched down to the Great Hall, still dripping wet from their bath water and not the least bit pleased. A certain Lord Kitsell even refused to wear his towel as the "entire thing is just ridiculous!" and it was. The guards had confiscated all of the material and Annabeth's clothes from the dress fitting while she was in the middle of changing which meant that now Annabeth was stuck in nothing but her slip (basically a pillowcase with leg holes and a drawstring top) and Merlin's coat. She was conscious of all the men in the room leering at her as she crossed the room. Being the only exposed female in the room this made perfect sense yet Annabeth felt extremely uncomfortable nevertheless. Merlin had ushered her to a corner far from prying eyes and he and Gwen stood with their back to her to shield her from the view of others. Gwain had gone off to help with the castle-wide search being led by Arthur and Orion was nowhere to be seen just yet.

"So what's gone missing?" Merlin asked Gwen out of the corner of his mouth.

Everyone else was asking the same question but Gwen was one of the few people that could actually give an answer having discovered several of the thefts herself.

"A small army's worth of weapons, a large amount of jewellery and we think Uther's crown has been stolen too." Gwen muttered back.

Instinctively Annabeth's hand went to her tiny cross pendant that she wore at all times. It was made of gold and had been her mother's. Annabeth refused to sell it even when she had no money aat all. Until she could return to her home she would not even entertain the thought of selling it. That necklace was the only piece of her childhood she had left with her.

Home…

If she could just get back to her island. Orion wouldn't be able to touch her there. The island's magic was too strong. Why hadn't she thought of this sooner? Out-running Orion would be a near impossible task but if she could get help then she might just make it. But who would help her? No, who _could_ help her.

"Arthur," she breathed.

An ache formed in her chest. She should have accepted his offer. She was stupid not too but she hadn't been thinking clearly at the time. Her mind had been clouded with fear and no other solution had made itself obvious until now.

"Annabeth?" Arthur called, appearing suddenly before them.

Upon seeing him, Annabeth tried and failed to shrink further into Merlin's jacket to hide herself.

"Gwen, Elyan is looking for you. He's asked me to escort you to him." Lancelot told her with a smile.

"Excuse me your majesty," Gwen bobbed a curtsey. "Merlin, Lady Annabeth." She nodded and disappeared into the crowd with Lancelot.

"Here," Arthur moved around Merlin and handed Annabeth his blue cloak. "They told me you had no clothes."

"Thank you, sire." Annabeth took the jacket Merlin had given her off and replaced it with the cloak.

"Where's Lord Orion?" Merlin asked, taking the jacket back as Annabeth held the folds of the cloak together.

"Lord Orion was one of the lords bathing at the time of the warning bell. He's not in a suitable state to see Annabeth." Arthur said bluntly. He didn't want to tell Merlin had been found. Not in front of Annabeth. It was disgusting to say the least.

"Runt," Annabeth greeted Lord Orion's henchman coolly as he appeared next to Arthur.

"Lady Annabeth. Lord Orion asked me to check you were okay and to send his apologies for not joining you." Runt told her formally, ignoring her companions.

"Where's your shadow?" Annabeth asked suspiciously, dismissing the message from Orion. She didn't need to listen to him. She was going to go home.

Arthur and Merlin twitched, suddenly paying attention although they tried to pretend they weren't.

"He's been registered my lady, I just haven't found him yet. Lord Orion made finding you a priority." Runt informed her.

"Of course." Annabeth didn't buy it. Suddenly, something clicked inside her brain. Was this Orion's doing? The thefts? Surely he wasn't _that_ stupid? "Well you've done your job so run back to your master."

"As you wish, my lady." Runt bowed, peering through the crack between the folds of the cloak and at Annabeth's chest.

"We ought to get you some clothes," Arthur frowned, glaring at Runt as he walked away. "I don't like the way most of these men are leering at you."

"Leering at me?" Annabeth snorted.

"Yes, now come on." Arthur grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the crowd, beckoning for Merlin to follow.

Merlin held Annabeth's hand as Arthur led them to the doors. He only paused to exchange a few heated words with some of the guards at the door. Once they were in the empty corridor, both men hastily let go of Annabeth's hands and escorted her up to her room. A pair of guards verified the room was clean of stolen goods and Annabeth was allowed inside to change with the help of Merlin. Arthur stood outside the door, unaware of the conversation taking place inside.

"Merlin, do you think that some places hold exceptional amounts of magic?" Annabeth asked, walking behind the screen and taking off Arthur's cloak.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Merlin rooted through the chest at the end of Annabeth's bed for a dress.

"Because I think I know of a place that I can go where Orion can't reach me. The magic there is too strong for him to find me." Annabeth admitted.

"Anna," Merlin sighed, pulling a turquoise dress from the chest and passing it around the screen to her, careful to look away.

"Merlin, I'm being serious. We all know that Orion will kill me if I stay and he'll kill me if I leave. If I can just go home…" Annabeth said wistfully, slipping into the dress.

"Oh." Merlin said shortly, fidgeting as he waited.

"It makes sense for me to go back there Merlin." Annabeth said defensively, holding her dress in place and walking out from behind the screen.

"I know but what about Arthur? What about me?" Merlin frowned, lacing up the back of her dress.

"I think we both know that Arthur's not destined to be with me Merlin." She sighed, a gloomy look taking over her face as Merlin tightened the ribbon that held her into the dress.

"Does that really matter? You're both mad for each other." Merlin half-laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. It was his job to make sure Arthur stuck to his destined path yet he was willing to throw it all away. "You deserve to be happy Anna and if you leave, you won't truly be happy."

"I was happy once - as a child." Annabeth said thoughtfully.

Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Oh don't do that," Annabeth smirked before turning serious. "I really do think that it's a good idea though. If you'll just hear me out…"

Merlin finished tying Annabeth into her dress so she went and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Merlin expectantly with her large blue eyes.

"Fine, I'll hear you out." Merlin folded his arms and waited for her to explain.

Outside in the corridor Arthur tapped his foot impatiently. How long did it take for a girl to change? Unless they were doing something else… No, Annabeth didn't like Merlin that way and Merlin didn't like Annabeth that way. He was sure of it. Maybe they were talking. That was probably it. Or maybe she couldn't decide on what to wear. Girls did that. He was thinking about going inside but if she was dithering about in her underwear then he didn't want to see that (actually he did but Arthur didn't want to admit it) and if she was talking to Merlin it would probably be about something private and it would be rude for him to intrude. Would Annabeth share something with Merlin that she would share with Arthur? He frowned at the thought and started to pace and then stopped again and leant against the doorframe.

"Arthur?"

He'd gotten lost in his own thoughts again so he hadn't registered the approach of the other person. At the sound of his name, Arthur's head snapped up and located the woman addressing him.

"Arthur, what are you doing here?" Gwen asked, a smile failing to hide her disbelief.

"I am the prince and this is my castle. I can be here if I want to." Arthur replied nonchalantly, causing Gwen to blink in surprise.

"Sorry my lord, I did not mean to speak out of place," Gwen was struggling to repress the feeling of betrayal which threatened to consume her and drive her to tears. "But this is Lady Annabeth's bed chamber."

"I'm fully aware of that Guinevere. Merlin and I are getting her some clothes." He said in the same indifferent tone.

"Have I done something wrong to offend you sire?" Gwen asked fearfully.

Arthur blinked and frowned before looking at her intently.

"Of course not," he said this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because- I do not wish to speak out of turn your majesty," Gwen cast her eyes to the floor as Arthur's stare was making her feel uncomfortable.

"Guinevere – Gwen – you can tell me." He told her, softening as he briefly touched her arm.

"It's just… You've been distant. You've been avoiding me and then when I talk to you, you speak to me like… Like I'm not me," Gwen was struggling to find the right words. "And I don't understand why. Have I hurt you in anyway? Have I done something wrong? Or do you not feel the way you once did about me? I need to know Arthur as it's driving me insane."

"Gwen," Arthur sighed. "I-"

The door next to Arthur opened and Annabeth stepped out, closely followed by Merlin who didn't look very happy.

"Oh, have I interrupted something?" She asked, looking from Arthur to Gwen curiously.

"Yes," Arthur admitted.

"No," Gwen lied at the same time. "Lord Orion requests your presence in his chambers Lady Annabeth."

"Thank you Gwen. I'd better go see what he wants Arthur." Annabeth smiled sadly at him. "Merlin, are you coming with me?" She turned to ask.

"Of course," he nodded faithfully.

"I'll see you later Arthur." Annabeth bowed her head and walked quickly away from him, Merlin rushing after her.

"Guinevere-"

"I have to go. I was the one who noticed the missing items so they'll want to interrogate me. Besides, you have work to do." Gwen refused to look at him too, setting off in the opposite direction to Annabeth before Arthur could order her to stay, leaving the prince of Camelot entirely alone.

…

Merlin waited impatiently outside the door to Orion's chambers attempting to remain calm. He hadn't heard any yelling yet but he still worried for Annabeth. Orion was 5 times her width and would squish her like a bug if she upset him or angered him. He was trying to think of a way to split Orion and Annabeth up for good so that Annabeth wouldn't return home but unless Arthur could pin him for the second death of May Miller and quickly, Annabeth was lost to him, one way or another.

Merlin jumped as the door opened and Annabeth slid out through the gap.

"What did he say?" Merlin asked urgently, noting the tears on her face.

"The wedding has been moved to tomorrow afternoon," Annabeth used the cuff of her sleeve to wipe her face. "He doesn't give a damn about a big wedding anymore. He just wants to marry me."

Merlin went pale. "You can't let him do that!"

"Lord Orion does whatever he wants. He's nervous and panicky for some reason so now he wants to move the date and he will." Annabeth told Merlin.

"Why is he panicking?" Merlin wasn't too interested in that. He was too busy trying to figure out how to sneak Annabeth out of the castle that night. Security would be so tight that it would be near impossible but there was definitely a spell that could help him.

"Thorne's gone missing."

…

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL!" Arthur threw his goblet of wine into the fire which whooshed up to twice the size, please to have been fed before settling back down. "How am I supposed to put a stop to this in less than a day?" He sank into his seat at the table and buried his head in his hands.

"Just speak up and say no." Lancelot spoke from his spot leaning against one of the posts of Arthur's bed frame.

"Not without a valid reason I can't." Arthur's voice came out slightly muffled.

"We could always kidnap her." Gwain suggested from his perch on the window sill. Merlin nodded in agreement.

"Don't be stupid," Leon scolded, walking around the bed to stand across the table from Arthur.

"I say we capture Runt and Thorne and force confessions from them." Percival suggested, folding his arms and leaning back against the door. "They are after all Orion's right hand men. They'll know everything."

Arthur lifted his head to look at Percival.

"Thorne's missing," he reminded his friend.

"So we split up and send a few of us out to find him while the others arrest and interrogate Runt." Percival shrugged.

"We could never do it in time. Thorne could be anywhere and we may not get anything from either of them if we do catch them and interrogate them in time." Elyan protested.

"Then we go now!" Percival countered. "What use is sitting here and watching Arthur mope? I know that no one in this room wants Annabeth marry that blonde pig so let's do something about it before it's too late!"

Arthur glared up at Percival and pushed himself into a standing position. As his mouth opened, Percival stared at his prince, expecting to be yelled at.

"Well said my man," Arthur praised him. "There's no harm in trying. If we fail then maybe we will kidnap her. Percival, you'll take Elywan, Gwain and Leon to find Thorne. I suggest you search the towns first. Lancelot and I will stay here to talk to Runt."

"What about me?" Merlin asked, feeling a little left out.

"Well first I want you to find the young lady Orion was found with earlier. See if you can get any information out of her. Maybe she'd like to press charges for sexual assault. But no matter what, the moment Annabeth wakes up I want you to protect her with your life if need be and make sure she stays away from Orion at all costs."

**Hey guys, I'm sorry it's been so long but this chapter was really hard to write, even if it is shit. Still, if you could review I'd be really grateful. I need at least 2 reviews to post the next chapter. Thanks.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Warning: This chapter is full of clichés and conveniences – don't like, don't review or at least no major hate.**

The frown on Merlin's face made him look three times older than and nowhere near as troubled as he was. Without returning to Gaius' quarters to look through endless amounts of books which may or may not contain a locating spell to track down Thorne and save both time and Annabeth, Merlin was trying and failing to remember a spell off the top of his head. He needed time as he only had until this afternoon, which didn't seem anywhere as near long enough for what they were trying to do but he couldn't think of a way to buy any more time. Magic would solve his problem but the racket the rain was making as it drummed against the window pane he'd just passed was very distracting. The thought of having to attempt to clear the mass of water accumulating in the courtyard made Merlin want to bang his head against a wall until his blood mixed with the clear liquid but he needed to focus and try to remember spells.

Spells. Rain. Water. Time. Annabeth. Spells. Rain. Water. Time. Annabeth. Spells. Rainwater. Time. Annabeth spells. Rainwater. Time. The thoughts circles in Merlin's head, merging into one big idea. Annabeth did water magic. She could do some sort of locating spell and buy them all some more time. Admittedly it wasn't the best idea in the world but it was the only idea he could come up with. Now all he needed was a bucket and for it to keep raining…

…

"No," Annabeth whined, keeping her eyes closed. "It's too early!"

"But Annabeth, I _need_ you." Merlin begged tugging on her arm.

Annabeth was still asleep in bed as it wasn't quite yet dawn outside but Merlin knew he had to wake her up now if they were not going to get caught doing magic. A wooden bucket sat in the middle of the room, half-full with rainwater. If Merlin could drag a sleepy Annabeth out of bed then one of their many problems might be dealt with.

"No, O Mighty Emmurus, you do it yourself," Annabeth moaned, pulling away from Merlin who dropped her arm at that point so she her head on the wall behind her. "Ow!"

"What did you just call me" Merlin demanded to know, looking at her in shock.

"Emmurus," she opened her eyes and put a hand against the spot on her head that collided with the wall. "I think you made me bleed."

"How did you know that name?" suspicion crept into his voice.

"A dragon told me in a dream," she yawned. "Am I bleeding?" She asked, checking her fingers for blood. "Because it feels like I'm bleeding."

"Really? A dragon told you in a dream?" Merlin asked disbelievingly.

"Merlin, I could be dying here from blood loss and you're worried about a _name_?" Annabeth pouted, annoyed by his priorities.

Slightly annoyed, Merlin perched on the edge of her bed and leaned her body forward so she was folded in half. Delicately his fingers combed through her hair as his sharp eyes checked her scalp for any sign of a wound. Once he was done he sighed and helped Annabeth into an upright position again.

"It's not even bruised." He informed her truthfully. "Now that I've helped you will you help me?" He was growing increasingly impatient; much like Arthur did with him. Knowing it was unfair Merlin took a deep breath and tried to calm down but the sense of extreme urgency was still there. The sooner Annabeth said yes the sooner the spell would be done and Annabeth could be made safe (or, as she wanted, go back to sleep). It didn't occur to him that common sense often avoids tired women.

"Is it raining outside?" She asked groggily, yawning slightly at the end of her sentence as she woke up.

"Yes." Merlin looked out the window just to check and the rain was pounding the castle as hard as ever.

"How convenient," She grumbled, laying back down and rolling to the opposite edge of the bed.

Merlin couldn't help but grin and chuckle silently as she swung her bare feet down to touch the stone floor and yelp as she yanked them back up again upon feeling how cold it was. Sending a glare at Merlin, Annabeth tried again, allowing her feet to adjust to the smooth icy floor before sliding out from beneath the covers to stand up. After swaying on the spot for a moment, the dizziness Annabeth felt passed and she padded over to the bucket and sat crossed-legged in front of it, arranging her night-gown as she did so.

"Are you not going to join me?" Annabeth tilted her head to the side, reminding Merlin of a curious puppy.

"I think I'll watch from by the door," Merlin decided, placing himself strategically so that if anyone opened the door they would knock into him first and not be able to see Annabeth.

"Suit yourself," She shrugged, rolling up her long lace-cuffed sleeves. "Who are we looking for?"

"Thorne," Merlin answered shortly.

Annabeth froze, her eyes wide.

"Why do you want him? Where's he gone?" She asked darkly, removing all traces of fear from her voice.

"He's stolen from Camelot, he needs to be brought back and punished. We don't know where he's gone. That's why I'm asking your help." Merlin explained.

She nodded silently, unable to say another word. She would not protest at the capture and punishment of any of the men who'd made her life a misery. They deserved to die.

Closing her eyes, she rubbed the palms of her hands together over the bucket. Separating her hands again, she made a puling motion and a thick jet of water rose from the bucket to orbit her head, never touching her but flattening out to become a liquid screen. Annabeth's eyes snapped open, glowing the same eerie blue colour they had in the cave and staring straight at Merlin, distorted from his point of view by the watery barrier between them. Merlin wasn't sure what Annabeth was doing or even seeing as she kept a stoic face and was muttering too quiet for him to hear. For a moment, Merlin found himself almost scared of his friend but the moment passed as without warning the water recoiled into the bucket and Annabeth slumped sideways.

"Annabeth!" Merlin cried out, rushing forwards to her.

She didn't move when he spoke to her but the regular rise and fall of her chest let him know she was okay. When he crouched down to hear her breathing a tiny snore escaped her lips, making Merlin want to laugh and yell in frustration at the same time. That's when he saw it, floating across the surface of the bucket: an image of an all too familiar house very close to where they were.

Checking no one was coming, Merlin used a quick spell to lift Annabeth back into bed and tucked her in all nice and safe before stealthily leaving the room to go tip Leon off about Thorne's whereabouts.

"I'm not sure about this." Leon whispered doubtfully, squinting at the boarded up shack in front of him through the moonlit rain.

"What Merlin said makes sense. Thorne would know Annabeth used to live here through his master and would therefore know its empty there wouldn't have been time to smuggle his goods out of Camelot but there might have just been enough to get here relatively unnoticed. I doubt we would have searched this place if Merlin hadn't suggested it so he'd probably have gotten away." Gwain reasoned in a low voice.

"Shall we check it out then?" Elyan asked in a similarly hushed tone.

"Yes. Percival, you go round the back to the window, Elyan you're to the left and Gwain I want you on the right. I'll go in through the front." Leon ordered quietly, motioning with his hands.

Following Leon's specific instructions the men moved themselves into positions which allowed them to block any attack or escape. Some of them couldn't help but wonder how Arthur and Lancelot were getting on up at the castle.

"TELL US WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW NOW!" Arthur slammed his hands down on the small wooden table with such a force that it sent a small shockwave through the claustrophobic room.

"You don't intimidate me!" Runt scoffed, rolling his eyes and flicking his head so a piece of hair fell away from his eyes.

Once more Runt yanked on his hands and winced as the jagged metal edges of the chains binding him to the table leg cut further into his flesh. Even if he could break free of them he'd still be tightly bound to the chair with chains as thick as his neck, locked together with a great black iron padlock, the key to which Lancelot dangled in front of him tauntingly, hypnotically, completely in Runt's view as he slumped across the doorframe while his free hand caressed his sword. Lancelot's eyes looked hollow though, as if he weren't really there in the room at all but someplace far, far away where he was happy. Assuming he could get past Arthur, Runt assumed he would have no problem dashing over Lancelot but there he was wrong. Unlike Arthur Runt didn't know that Lancelot was capable of snapping out of his trance with less than a moment's notice. Runt wouldn't stand a chance against the two men though he dared to dream otherwise.

"I am your King now _answer me_!" Arthur raged.

"You're not the king yet." Runt reminded him nastily.

Arthur's fist slammed into the table again, creating a tiny crater where it landed. He tried desperately to control his heavy breathing and the anger that seeped through his body like a heated fog that boiled his blood and fuelled his rage. They were running out of time. The wedding was in a matter of hours and they'd still made no significant progress.

"Lancelot, tell them to leave Thorne alive when they find him. Make them bring him here." Arthur hissed, danger tainting his voice. His mind was in a dark and desperate place where it did not belong. A good man full of hatred, anger and desperation ought never to utter the words he did next but it was something. He needed a plan, any plan that might force this beast to talk and save the woman Arthur loved. "Let's see how Runt likes it when his accomplice is tortured and killed in front of him."

Lancelot, who had snapped out of his daydream the moment his name was called opened his mouth to question Arthur's orders but was cut off by an unusually high-pitched scream erupting from Thorne. Both knights were immensely shocked at the force of which Runt protested as Arthur had expected next to no reaction at all. Surely Runt knew it was a bluff, that Arthur was too good to actually concede to the voice in the back of his head telling him it would be the only effective method - that blood _had_ to be spilt in order for anything to change.

"Yes, sire." Lancelot straightened and swept a low bow, catching Arthur's eye as he did so. The look there confirmed what he already guessed because Arthur was not a cold-blooded killer. Not now, not ever.

"Don't kill him!" Runt cried out.

Arthur looked back at Runt then, to stare deep into his eyes with an intense curiosity, wondering what could make him so desperate to save this man.

"Give me one good reason not to," Arthur challenged him, knowing that now he would get what he wanted.

Merlin didn't mean to find Aimee. He was on his way back to Annabeth's room and he just kind of stumbled across her crying on an upturned bucket whilst desperately clutching at a mop to keep herself from falling off.

"Hello?" Merlin asked cautiously, slowly approaching her so that she wasn't frightened and didn't scream. A fiasco with a screaming and sobbing maid was the last thing he needed.

The petite brunette looked up at him, blinking with large wet blue eyes. Merlin could see by the flickering candlelight that the girl was immensely pale for she was really only a girl and not quite yet a woman from the relative flatness of her chest. She didn't speak or move as she watched Merlin edge closer. She only sniffed a little and rubbed her glistening cheeks with the cuff of her dress. She had to be about 16 Merlin decided as there was no way she was quite his age.

"What's your name?" Merlin tried again. Something about her face sparked recognition in him and he desperately tried to place it although the answer was obvious (she worked in the castle – it was where he was struggling with).

The girl mumbled something quietly but it was impossible to make out what exactly.

"Pardon?" He closed the gap between them in one movement and crouched down beside her.

"Aimee," she repeated, slightly louder this time.

"And why are you crying Aimee?" Merlin asked softly, seeing how vulnerable she was.

He pulled out a handkerchief just in time as the question seemed to cause her to break into a fresh wave of heaving sobs. In the midst of it all, Merlin tried not to panic as he realized she was actually saying something amidst all the braying sobs.

"You're fiancé is leaving you?" Merlin guessed.

Aimee nodded and buried her face in her lap.

"Why?" Merlin frowned although he wasn't _that_ interested.

The next time Merlin couldn't make out a single thing so with a little help from his magical abilities he managed to calm the unsuspecting Aimee down and got her to talk normally again. She proceeded to tell him about how several months previously she went to her brother's house for her yearly visit. He'd recently been employed by Lord Orion as a servant and so they'd gone to the local tavern to celebrate. On the way home one of his personal guards – Thorne she thought it was – stopped them and persuaded Aimee's brother to let Thorne take her to see Lord Orion alone. Once Thorne had left Aimee alone with Orion he forced her to bed with him and did so every night she stayed with her brother. Since then Aimee had been unwell and not only had she caught an illness from Lord Orion but she was expecting a baby (undoubtedly his) to boot. When her fiancé found out – for she'd kept it a secret from him – he'd kicked her out of his house. She was an orphan without any kind of home now. Her brother had mysteriously disappeared apparently and she didn't know what to do which caused her to burst into tears again. Merlin on the other hand was saddened and subdued by Aimee's story but a guilty part of him was pleased with the convenient timing of this coincidental meeting.

"Aimee, Lord Orion can be fined and imprisoned for what he's done to you." Merlin began slowly.

"I'll testify against him if that's what you're after. I don't know or care what your grudge is against him but that monster has ruined my life and I want him behind bars." Aimee said with a sudden savageness that startled Merlin. "And I know someone else who wants him there too."

Suddenly empowered, Aimee stood up quickly, snatched up her mop and bucket and marched off down the corridor. Bewildered, Merlin could only follow her and think that he was helping Arthur and Annabeth.

On Percival's signal, Leon kicked in the front door. At first he thought the house was empty but after a second noticed a cauldron full of jewellery, coins and swords in the middle of the room, vaguely lit by a single dim candle. Other than the single stub of a candle on top of the pile of gold there was no other light in the dusty and filthy shack. Leon knew he wasn't alone but in the dark it was near impossible to tell where the jewel-thieving snake was.

A sudden scuffle alerted Leon to Thorne's location seconds before he attacked, leaping off the bed, swords raised above his head. Leon spun with a second to spare and laughed, loud and hearty as Thorne made the amateur mistake of lodging his sword into a beam of wood.

"So who killed May Miller?" Arthur asked with a quality of calmness he hadn't thought he possessed.

"That was me," Runt admitted ashamedly. "Orion ordered us to kill anyone who went into Annabeth's room after hours. He threatened to kill- to kill my mother if I didn't do it. He's already killed my pa and brother. She's all I have left other than Thorne and he has no parents anymore. Orion saw to that. He does have a wife and children though." He added as if that might make his love more favourable in the prince's eyes.

"Did Orion kill any of these people himself?" Arthur began pacing again. He couldn't bear to stand still as his mind raced around its cage, using the information he had to construct an escape route.

"He had Thorne kill my pa," Runt winced at the memory. "But he killed my brother himself." He nodded, assuring himself of the fact.

"He's tortured Lady Annabeth repeatedly for the last three years as I'm sure she'll testify." Runt confessed.

"What?" Arthur shouted, outraged.

"Didn't she tell you?" Runt asked innocently enough.

Arthur thought back to the time Annabeth had run away after almost drowning. He'd heard some of what she'd admitted to Merlin but the thought of her pain had caused him so much pain that he had forced it from her mind.

"No, she did not." Arthur said through gritted teeth.

"Probably because he would have killed her if she'd said anything." Runt figured.

"You have five seconds to start telling me every single detail about what that monster did to her or I _will_ have Thorne killed." Arthur demanded menacingly.

Eyes wide in fear, Runt launched into the first of many tales on which Annabeth was tortured, much to Arthur's dismay.

Annabeth wasn't sure why she woke back up that next time. The sun wasn't quite ready to come out from behind the dense grey clouds and her room was deadly quite… except for the breathing. Annabeth's eyes flew open to see Orion standing next to her head, staring at her hungrily.

"Good morning my bride." He cooed.

"She should be through here," Aimee said, entering the kitchen with Merlin close at her heels.

Despite what many considered to be the early hour, the kitchen was alive with cooks, servants and fires as the meals for the day were already being cooked and prepared. A large table in the middle of the room was slowly being filled with food for the banquet after the wedding while a slightly smaller side table was covered with breakfast orders from the lords and ladies/

"That's her," Aimee pointed to a tall blonde beauty arranging the breakfast trays. "He had her yesterday." She hissed.

Merlin nodded and together they made their way over to her. As they got closer Merlin noticed certain aggressiveness behind her actions. She slammed plates onto trays and stabbed forks into bits of fruit. Anger radiated from her like heat from a fire and the closer they got to her, the more Merlin thought that she would not help them.

"Aimee, I don't know who this creep is but I want him out of my sight _now_." The girl growled, not even looking up.

"Felicity, he's going to help us. Merlin is Arthur's manservant and he's collecting witness to put Lord Orion behind bars!" Aimee whispered excitedly.

"Why would they put a Lord behind bars because of what he did to two maids? He's a _lord_. Even if he does get put behind bars for whatever the real reason is, he'll either break or buy his way back out in less than a week." Felicity pointed out savagely.

"That won't happen, I promise." Merlin spoke in a low, firm voice, meaning every word of it. There was no way Arthur let Orion escape, not with Annabeth's safety at risk.

"You're not the prince or the king. You're no one of importance. Your promises mean nothing." Felicity retorted.

"They might not but the life of the woman Orion's marrying today is in danger. We think he's going to kill her and she's one of Arthur's personal favourites. If we can put him behind bars he'll _stay_ there until he or Arthur is dead. Trust me on that." Merlin explained passionately.

"And you want me to talk?" Felicity gave him her fiercest look.

"Yes," Merlin and Aimee said together.

"No."

Abandoning his first sword, Thorne lunged for a new one. Ripping the handle from the cauldron a cascade of jewels crashed to the floor, throwing both men off balance. In the nick of time Thorne raised his sword to fend off Leon's sloppy attack, unaware of Gwain approaching stealthily behind him through the window. A dagger was at the base of Thorne's throat in a heartbeat.

"We don't have time to mess around Leon." Gwain said as Percival kicked the sword from Thorne's hand.

"Look who's talking." Elyan smirked as he tossed the rope to Percival who started to (somewhat enthusiastically) bind Thorne up.

"Oh shut up. We could have this over and Orion in jail by sunrise if we're lucky." Gwain kicked Thorne's bounded knees in anger sending him crashing to the floor. Thankfully he'd thought to remove the dagger beforehand or it wouldn't have ended well.

There was silence as the four men began to pack up the jewels and swords to return to the castle. It was a simple task therefore it didn't take very long. Thorne just lay on the floor, not bothering to fight or run – he was at a distinct disadvantage and self-preservation told him that it might be wise to remain passive until the knights were done.

"Wait," Percival frowned as he loaded the last of the stolen goods onto cart. "Where's the crown?"

All the men turned to Thorne who looked slightly confused. A moment later it sunk in and conflicting expressions passed over Thorne's face.

"I never took the crown." He spat.

"Don't lie to us." Leon growled.

"I'm not. How stupid do you think I am?" Thorne laughed mercilessly. "It would be suicide to steal the crown assuming I could get away with it at all."

"Do we believe him?" Elyan asked, looking intently at Thorne.

"No. You stay and search the house while we go back up to the castle. Percival will send down a couple of guards to help you and then start returning all the stolen things while Gwain and I take Throne to Arthur." Leon instructed.

"I'm right here you know." Thorne muttered to no one in particular though they all ignored him.

Percival picked Thorne up and hauled him over his shoulder to make it quicker and easier to move. When no one argued, the three men left Elyan alone and went out into the pre-dawn light.

"Enough!" Arthur shouted. "Enough." He repeated quietly.

The excruciatingly vivid details Runt had just provided him with were too much for him to handle. It was too easy to imagine and too painful to forget and that was just the story. How it must have actually felt… it explained why Annabeth was ready to give in and die at Orion's hands, why she'd tried to kill herself before. A life worth of that was unthinkable. Arthur had to protect her from it. He would kill Orion if necessary because he was never going to let anyone hurt Annabeth again.

"What about the King's crown?" Lancelot inquired, tactfully changing topic to give Arthur time to recover.

"Thorne and I never took it." Runt denied.

"Are we really going to play this game again?" Lancelot glowered.

"No," Panic edged Runt's voice. "But it's true. We never took it."

"Then where is it?" Arthur demanded, raising his voice again.

Why did everyone play a game of shadows and lies? Dodge around straight-forward answers and take the route of deception? Would life not be easier if it everyone told the truth to each other? He would have been able to help Annabeth so much sooner for one thing. It was so frustrating to not know who lies and who doesn't. He was already half mad because of this entire experience, could someone just give him a helping hand and make life easy for a tiny bit?

"How should I know?" He sounded whiney, like a little child but Arthur wasn't paying attention anymore, he was too busy trying to hold himself together. For a butch henchman and devoted servant he seemed to be acting like anything but recently which made Arthur and Lancelot question everything about him and quite frankly, it was setting Arthur's teeth on edge.

"Did Orion take it?" Lancelot guessed, trying to make some progress.

"No, I did." Felicity revealed stepping through into the room just in front of Merlin and Aimee.

Everyone stared at Felicity in shock at her confession, something that didn't make her the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"Merlin care to explain?" Lancelot asked in a seemingly jokey way.

"Arthur sent me to find them. These are the women that Orioin-" Merlin couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"I know, I recognise them." Runt nodded, his voice returning to normal.

"YOU!" Aimee screeched eyes wide. Without much more warning than that, she launched herself across the room and began punching every inch of Runt not protected by chains with her tiny fists.

"Why are all the girls in this kingdom insane?" Arthur murmured in a semi-amused way as he watched Merlin and Lancelot struggle to pull Aimee off Runt. She had he nails dug into his cheeks so it didn't look like she was going to let go any time soon.

"Speak for yourself. I _know_ I'm not mad." Felicity snorted.

"You speak rather confidently and dangerously for someone who stole my father's crown." Arthur said warningly.

"Well I don't have it anymore and other than a confession you can't pin me to it." Felicity said smugly.

"Where is it?" Arthur didn't care about her attitude, he just wanted this all over with.

"I hid it in Orion's room during the search but after his room was investigated. He's not found it yet." She told him gleefully.

"Lancelot, you've got clearance to lead another search with whatever guards you can get to look for the crown. It's in Orion's rooms but don't go straight there. No one is to leave their rooms before, after or during the search so they can't tip him off," Arthur ordered. "Take…"

"Felicity," Aimee grunted helpfully from Merlin's restraining arms.

"Felicity with you." Arthur finished.

"As you wish my Lord." Lancelot bowed his head and left, closely followed by Felicity.

"What now?" Merlin asked it as though he wasn't restraining an incredibly angry and small person in his arms.

"Runt will be thrown in a prison cell until I can think up a suitable punishment which takes into account both his crimes and help he's given us today. As for…"

"Aimee." Aimee piped up helpfully, calming down now.

"Aimee, she'll stay with me so we can talk about what happened to her while we wait for Leon and the others." Arthur decided.

"And me?" Merlin let Aimee go now.

"You can stay if you must but I'm sure you have other things to be doing." Arthur sighed.

"Knock knock," Gwain laughed, entering the small room.

Thorne was thrown in behind him and Leon followed. Upon seeing his loved one, Runt began to struggle against his restraints, desperate to be next to him.

"Idiot! Don't work yourself up into a fuss." Thorne snapped from his undignified position on the floor. He didn't seem very caring for Runt's supposed lover.

Runt immediately stopped fighting and just stared in relief at him instead.

"Where's Percival and Elyan?" Arthur asked, noting their absences.

"Percival's returning what was lost and Elyan's back at the Potter House still searching for the crown." Leon admitted almost reluctantly.

"We have the location of the crown now. Go get Elyan Merlin," Arthur ordered before turning to Leon again. "How much did you find?"

"A lot. We took the cart down and almost filled it to the top." Leon remembered.

"Laurel helped with that." Runt informed them hopefully.

"What are you doing?" Thorne growled.

"Saving our lives," Runt retorted.

"That's enough you two. Leon, can you thrown Thorne into a cell? And Gwain, you need to chase down Lancelot. He left with the chair key." Arthur instructed.

"Am I going in the chair?" Aimee squeaked fearfully.

"Of course not." Arthur smiled gently.

It was all over.

**Please review.**


	24. Chapter 24

"Isn't it a bit early to be in your wedding dress?" Merlin asked cautiously, entering Annabeth's room. "I thought you were going to run."

"If I run he'll find me and kill me. If I stay I die. If I use magic I die. Every possible way I look at this I die but if I stay I have the chance to take Peter down with me." Annabeth replied quietly.

She was staring at herself in the mirror, fascinated at the length of smooth ivory satin that coiled around her body like an ancient Greek or Roman toga, clinging to her body just below her shoulders. A thin veil clasped with silver buttons to the back of her dress. When she moved it fluttered about, the blue gossamer threads gave the illusion that it had a life of its own. Silver bangles graced both of Annabeth's wrists and, as always, her mother's golden cross pendant dangled at the base of her neck. Her hair was twisted back into a bun at the base of her head, leaving a few strands of hair to coil down in front of her left eye. Red painted lips stood out, ready to be viciously attacked by her new husband though they trembled in terror at the very thought.

"That's not true." Merlin insisted.

"What do you want from me Merlin?" Annabeth asked tiredly turning to face him. She was in no mood for an argument now.

"I want you to stay for Arthur – for me. I want you to fight Orion and be free because this life shouldn't belong to you or anyone for that matter. You deserve something better."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Annabeth couldn't even bring herself to glower at Merlin. Whatever fight she'd had left in her was drained when Orion had visited her earlier. Now she just wanted her story to end. The pain, the fear and the heartache couldn't last for much longer.

"You've been summoned to the Great Hall." Merlin explained shortly.

"I thought you said it was too early for… that?" There was a ghost of a challenge in her voice that gave Merlin hope and he clung to it desperately.

"It's not the wedding." He elaborated, trying to think of ways to get the Annabeth he knew back.

"Then what is it?" She sighed, her eyes drooping slightly. Sleep…

"I don't know," Merlin lied. She wouldn't go if he told her. He was sure of it.

Knowing this was just another battle she would lose, Annabeth gave in and followed Merlin wordlessly to the hall.

The hall had been vacated half way through decoration. Banners were not fully hung from the walls and ceiling, flowers lay abandoned in their giant vases all over the room and the servants were nowhere to be seen. The knights of Camelot stood in a semi-circle behind 5 people kneeling on the floor facing the door. The kneeling people were forced into silence with their heads bowed and their hands and their hands tied behind their backs. It was clear who they all were to Annabeth as she approached the group; from left to right it was: Laurel, Runt (or Thorne), Orion, Thorne (or Runt) and Robert. The five people she hated the most were tied up on the day her life was destined to end. They were not arguing or fighting or attempting to escape and this scared Annabeth more than she cared to admit. What had they planned? What were they doing? What kind of mind games were they playing on her? Movement behind her made Annabeth spin wildly, in defence mode to see Arthur in what could only be described as his normal clothes.

"My lord," She curtsied, thankful it was him. "What is the meaning of all this?" _what have you done?_

"Runt and Thorne have confessed to a lifetime's worth of crimes and murders involving these three accomplices. We have victims and witnesses that will allow us to put all five of them away for life as the nicest possible punishment. I've summoned you to tell you that you cannot and will not marry Lord Peter Orion now or ever. He can't hurt you anymore Anna." Arthur explained gently. He wanted to reach out, to put his hands on her shoulders or hold her close because she looked then like she was in desperate need of support but he didn't. He couldn't.

"That's what you think." Orion muttered menacingly from behind Annabeth's back.

"Enough." Gwain growled.

"No, not enough. That bitch was sold to me as a wife and by God I'll have her!" Orion yelled.

"SILENCE!" Arthur roared. The word rung throughout the cavernous room with such power, such authority that Orion was forced into submission by the mere sound of it.

Annabeth had still not turned around. Her eyes were closed as she was trembling violently. It was too much for her and Arthur could see that.

"Leon, Elyan, escort these five to the dungeons along with the guards. I'll deal with them later." Arthur ordered darkly, not taking his eyes off Annabeth.

She was confused and scared. Why had Runt and Thorne confessed? What would happen to her now? She'd finally accepted that she was going to die! She was going to kill Orion! What was her purpose now she was free? It was not as if she could stay. Surely it would be best for everyone if she left the kingdom and Arthur could forget all about her. She could use magic to make him forget. She could make them all forget and then she'd truly be free. Free to go home and hide from the world; to use magic and just be herself. Because she could not stay here. She would never be able to use her magic again. It would be too risky.

"Annabeth, are you okay?" The sound of Arthur's voice snapped her from her thoughts.

How many answers she could have chosen but no, she would be honest. They would not remember anyway once she was done with them.

"No, no I'm not." She admitted, allowing her body to shake more noticeably now that _they_ were gone.

"It's okay. You're safe now." Arthur reassured her.

"But it's not. You just arrested the only man who would ever consider marrying me." Her excuse was feeble and flawed as she realized the moment it escaped her lips – Arthur wanted to marry her.

"He was going to kill you!" Arthur tried very hard not to yell. It was as if she'd forgotten but she couldn't have. It was impossible as she spent every conscious moment worrying about it.

"We were born to die." Annabeth philosophized in a dark manner.

"You're being ridiculous! I've just saved your life! You haven't even said thank you!" Arthur fumed.

"Now you know how Merlin feels." Annabeth replied curtly.

"Don't bring me into this!" Merlin frowned.

"That's not the point and you know it," Arthur stated, ignoring Merlin completely. "You're free now! Why aren't you grateful?"

"Free to do what? Be alone?" she countered angrily.

"You have us!" He gestured wildly around the room to the remaining knights and Merlin. "You have me!"

"You have Gwen! You have your duties!" Annabeth yelled back.

There was utter silence as Arthur stared at her in shock. In truth he's all but forgotten about Gwen. But surely that proved that he did not love her the way he loved Annabeth? Had he not told her before he would break it off if she were to be with him?

"I want to be married and start a life Arthur," Annabeth half-lied quietly, head bowed.

"If it means that much to you then one of us will marry you." Gwain grinned, attempting to use his charm to defuse the tension.

"And force myself onto whoever pulls the short straw? I think not." She lifted her head to gaze at him intently with her unsettling blue eyes. "You, Gwain, are too much of a ladies man to tie yourself down to any one woman; Lancelot loves somebody else, you can see it in his eyes; Leon and I would kill each other within minutes of the engagement announcement; And neither Percival or Elyan should be forced, tricked or guilted into a relationship with me. None of us would ever truly be happy, particularly if the one I married then fell in love with someone else but couldn't be with them because of me. It wouldn't be right or fair. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me from that wretched villain but for the moment I must beg you sire to excuse me. I need to change my dress as I am not going to be married. Ever." She spoke quickly and without emotion, bottling up everything and anything she felt inside. She was not safe here. The way she needed to express herself would get her killed. No, she had to be out of the kingdom.

"Of course you may go," Arthur nodded understandingly, hands clasped behind his back.

"She's going to make another run for it, isn't she?" Gwain muttered to Merlin behind Arthur's back as they watched her flee from the room.

"Yep," Merlin predicted, popping the p.

"What are you going to do about it Arthur?" Lancelot asked.

Arthur didn't answer so Gwain did for him.

"Well he's not going to let her go. That's for sure."

**Please review**


	25. Chapter 25

Back in her chamber Annabeth released her emotion in the only effective way she knew how:

With magic.

Sheets of ice transported objects and clothes through the air into two large sacks on her bed. Jets of steam spat outwards from around Annabeth's body, spraying the mirror and scalding the air. Her hands were shaking too violently to be productive so tentacles of water passed multiple combs through her hair. The occasional sob of happiness and fear burst from her very core as the image of Orion being dragged away to what she prayed was his death played over and over and over in her mind.

He was gone.

But was he gone for good? Would Arthur really kill him? She couldn't see him doing so but there was no way in hell she was going to stay and find out. It was time for her to go home now and be free. Yes it meant leaving Arthur behind but she could use _magic._

"Annabeth, unlock the door," Arthur called from the corridor, pounding heavily on it.

"No! I'm not decent!" she lied, keeping her eyes locked on the mirror.

"Then put on a dress on and let me in!" Arthur told her as if it were the most obvious thing to do in the word (which in fact it was).

"No!" She yelled.

Her bag wasn't packed, her hair not fully brushed yet, and the dress she wanted to wear was still laid out on the bed whilst her wedding dress clung to her because she couldn't tear it off. She needed to rip it off and destroy it but she couldn't.

"Anna, please." Arthur begged but she did not respond. She just remained seated in front of the mirror until she was ready. That meant that the ice had melted back into her wash basin, the tentacles of water that had been brushing her hair had deposited her brush into the full sacks and retracted back into a vase full of dying flowers and she was sure she had the protective stream under control. Only then did she stand up, slide the key into her fist and silently approach the door with her freezing bare feet. Briefly she rested her head against the cool oak door and placed the iron key into its lock. Then she straightened up, took a deep breath and turned the key until there was the faintest of clicks that to her ears sounded like cannon fire. She took a leap back as Arthur cautiously stepped into the room.

"You can't leave." He told her unconvincingly. He wanted to believe it, he truly did but Annabeth was a creature of her own mind, he understood that now. If she felt like she could run she would run and keep going until she was dragged back kicking and screaming and taking out several fine warriors in the process.

"You and I both know that's not true." Annabeth's voice was hushed as she echoed his thoughts. Gently she closed the door behind him, shutting out the real world to lock them in the cold. It was as if a ghost haunted the room, representing the death of their love's future and neither of them could speak for a long time without disturbing it.

"Where will you go?" Arthur managed to choke out, unable to look behind him to where Annabeth lingered by the door, her gaze on the key.

"Home," she replied softly. She turned. A hand raised to touch his shoulder, to stroke his cheek, to pull herself closer to him but she couldn't bring herself to do it so the hand fell away again.

"You are home." He told her, meaning and believing in every word that came from his mouth now. "Camelot is your home and you belong here with us."

"No it's not! What do I have here? There is nothing to occupy my time. I have no job or family. I have no money until I marry! I have no house and no lover!" she pointed out angrily.

"We'll find something for you to do and you'll live here with me and the knights! How is running away going to help when you yourself just said you have no money!" He countered.

"I can get a job somewhere else where they don't know who I am. I don't belong in a castle and I can't live here forever. Your father will surly throw me out when he finds out my story anyway. So what else is there?" Her voice rose angrily.

"You're making a rash decision! You're not going to be kicked out so don't pretend that's a good excuse. Just think about what you're leaving behind!"

"Gwen will help you get over me and I'm sure Merlin will live. Sir Leon will certainly be happier without me too." She said bitterly.

"I- You- Argh! Is it because you don't love me? Is that it? Do I repulse you?" He was losing it, he really was but he managed to contain his violent side so it was all good, or at least not as bad as it could be.

"No! That's not it at all! How could you even think that?" Annabeth was shocked. His statement instantly deflated her anger. She had made him think that and she was ashamed.

"Because you are so _insistent_ on leaving me and I can't think of any other reason why you could feel so pressured to leave." He exploded.

There was silence as Arthur just watched Annabeth deal with the shock. They both breathed heavily as they waited for Annabeth to find her voice. He had just admitted to her one of his biggest fears and all she could do was stare. Was he right? Oh god, he was.

"No," Her voice was so soft and pitiful. Why? "No that's not it at all." She stepped towards him hesitantly. "If only I could make you understand." She wished.

"Try," was all he could say.

"I don't know who I am. I've spent all my adult life in fear or mourning doing what I had to to scrape by until I was finally sentence to death. I've lived in self-preservation mode for so long that I don't remember what it's like to be free, to just _live _without constantly being scared that I could be married to Orion the very next day and probably killed the day after that. I need to be alone for a while to discover myself and figure out if this is really how I want to live my life." It was as if she was speaking to a small child but that was not what irritated Arthur.

"Can't you do that here?" He asked hopefully.

"No, I need to go home," she insisted.

"And where is that exactly?"

_Wherever you are,_ she replied silently. "I'm guessing about a day's ride south of here," she said out loud.

"Close enough to visit?" He phrased it like a question, asking permission to see her.

"Close enough to visit." She nodded sadly.

"How are you getting there?" Arthur adopted a very business-like manner, folding his arms.

"I was going to walk," Annabeth shrugged.

"And get killed by bandits? I'm not going to let that happen. The knights and I will escort you home." Arthur decided.

"I-" she began to protest.

"If you don't argue I won't try and make you stay." He compromised quickly.

She stopped, opened her mouth then closed it again. She thought through the pros and cons, opened her mouth then closed it again. She thought of Merlin who would love to know where she lived and maybe spending some alone time with Arthur before she sent them away which made up her mind.

"I want to be gone as quickly as possible," she told him firmly.

"As you wish," Arthur gave her a single nod and turned to leave.

"Arthur?" Annabeth called out suddenly as he reached the door.

"Yes?" He turned to face her, hardly daring to hope.

"I lo- Be quick," she chickened out and changed her mind at the last second.

Arthur smiled sadly. She had almost said it. Maybe she would before they parted.

"I never told you how beautiful you look in that dress," he thought out loud as she blushed.

"Thank you," she mumbled as he left.

_I love you_.

**Please review.**


	26. Chapter 26

"Is it really necessary for all of us to come?" Merlin moaned as he hauled several large sacks down the front steps of the castle to the horses. He didn't mind it being just him and Arthur, maybe Gwain and Lancelot too but all the knights? It was a bit excessive and unnecessary.

"If anything happened to her while we travelled I would never forgive myself. I'm giving her the best protection possible." Arthur explained stonily.

"What he means is if Anna tries to kick his ass he'll have back up." Gwain translated cheekily, trotting up on his horse.

"I could take all seven of you and come out victorious," Annabeth announced cockily as she strolled out of the castle and down the front steps. Gwen followed her carrying a second bag (the first was in Annabeth's hand) and refused to prise her eyes off the floor.

"Even you my lady could not possibly delude yourself into thinking that statement holds the slightest bit of truth in it." Gwain smirked.

"I – how did you put it? – "kicked your ass" once before and I'll do it again with ease," She retorted cheekily. "Catch Merlin." She threw her bad at him to stride up to Gwain.

"We were going easy on you! We were told you were fragile and half mad. Now we know you're not the least bit fragile and completely mad." He chuckled.

"Fully mad, huh?" she raised an eyebrow.

"You'd have to be to leave our glorious kingdom and it's extremely handsome bachelors to live alone." He pointed out.

"You challenge me to stay?" She guessed.

"I challenge you to _love_ my lady. That is the greater challenge." Gwain almost sounded wise as his words stirred something deep inside Annabeth.

"Enough Gwain," Arthur said warningly, noticing the slightly pained look on Annabeth's face. "Annabeth, your horse is ready."

He was already astride his and looking down at her. He didn't try hard to mask his displeasure with the situation and she didn't blame him. If it wasn't for the throbbing pain in her chest then Annabeth would have believed she didn't have a heart at all. She was practically heartless and Annabeth was sure she'd pretty much destroyed his over the past few weeks.

"Thank you Arthur, she said with a nod. "Are we all ready to go?" she asked as one of the stable hands brought over her horse. She noticed that her bags were attached to Arthur's horse instead of hers and didn't know whether to laugh or frown at the prince's craftiness.

"Yes my lady. We're just waiting on you," Sir Leon replied after a quick surveillance of the courtyard.

Annabeth nodded and mounted her mare. She was white, like Arthur's, the colour of seafoam and completely new to Annabeth. The last time she had ridden by herself was back when she was 12, before they'd sold the horses after the death of her mother. Warily she adjusted herself in the saddle, grateful they hadn't given her one for a proper lady (a side saddle) because she probably wouldn't have been able to handle it.

"Your swords my lady," Gwen said humbling, holding up the twin blades in their harness to her.

"Thank you." Annabeth smiled warmly as she took them and strapped the harness across her back.

It wasn't until then that anyone paid the slightest bit of attention to what she was wearing. Somehow the cheeky minx has managed to get her hands on a set of Arthur's day clothes and she wore them quite well. The blade harness crossed over her chest and the swords were only a small reach away. Over the harness was a brown travelling cloak hid the swords rather well as she rearranged it.

"Remind me why we aren't keeping her around?" Gwain nudged Percival with his elbow, earning himself a slap over the back of his head.

"Ready?" Arthur asked tentatively as Annabeth's horse levelled with his own.

"It's time I return home," Annabeth answered, pulling up her hood so that her face was hidden in shadow before putting on a pair of dainty leather gloves.

"As you wish," Arthur nodded.

The horses set off at a trot out of the castle grounds and through the town. Together Arthur and Annabeth led the way through the crowded streets full of people who stood aside respectfully for the royal procession though many tried to glimpse under Annabeth's hood. All they could see was the shadow yet Annabeth pulled it lower anyway.

"Where are we actually going?" Merlin asked, pulling ahead to join Arthur and Annabeth.

"South," Arthur answered simply because in truth he did not know himself.

"How far south?" Merlin turned to Annabeth as he knew Arthur would be useless.

"No more than a day's ride," Annabeth reassured him evasively.

"Hmph," Merlin frowned.

"You're not scared now, are you Merlin?" Arthur teased to lighten the mood.

"No actually, I'm not," Merlin replied stubbornly.

"Don't worry Merlin. If any bandits attack us I'll protect you," she mocked with an unseen grin, earning the laughter or her companions.

They rode on like that, talking and laughing over the tension, avoiding discussion of their purpose at all costs.

"Anna, I think we need to stop for the night." Arthur told her, looking up at the rapidly darkening sky.

"But we're almost there! I recognise where we are!" Annabeth protested, smiling at the apple trees.

"Anna, pretty soon we won't be able to see and we need to make camp before it becomes completely dark." He reasoned.

"Oh please? Just another minute?" Annabeth begged childishly. "We're almost at the lake! We can camp on the shore and cross in the morning!"

Arthur turned to Merlin who gave him a small nod of encouragement. If they did not go with her she would run off without them, defeating the purpose of their presence.

"Fine," Arthur sighed. He didn't want another argument.

Annabeth whooped in delight and dug her heels into the sides of her mare so they shot off like a bolt of lightning ahead of the other's steady walks. She laughed wildly, fears forgotten as she raced the wind.

"Come on boys! Keep up!" She called back, not checking to see if they'd actually sped up or not. Their horses seemed pretty tired, especially as some of them were carrying _particularly_ heavy loads.

Seconds later and Annabeth was bursting through the treeline and skidding to a halt on the pebbly shore. Out on the lake Annabeth could just about see the island she'd lived on as a girl, shrouded in its usual night time fog.

She could see her home, a placed she'd not clapped eyes on for years…

"Annabeth!"

"Anna?"

"Annabeth where are you?"

"Annabeth!"

"Anna!"

"Annabeth?"

The men were still a little way behinds and their calls sounded worried but they didn't break through her trance. She was too engulfed in memories as she stood staring, trying to make the shape of her house out through the dense fog.

"Annabeth! We thought we lost you! Arthur's getting worried. He-" Merlin rambled.

"The water of this lake had magic healing powers. Whenever I was hurt as a little girl I'd bathe in the lake and emerge as good as new. That's how mummy said I got my magic, by being born into the lake." She said suddenly, hollowly, not looking at Merlin.

"Aren't you a healer too?" Merlin asked quietly.

"Not really," she shook her head but didn't stop staring. "They were the first spells I learnt though. That must count for something."

"Annabeth!" Arthur's cries came from closer by now.

"Oh Arthur," she sighed, looking to the forest now.

"Arthur! Arthur I found her! She's here on the shore!" Merlin shouted back as it was obvious Annabeth wasn't going to.

The sound of galloping hooves rushed towards them as Arthur and the knights exploded through the trees, looks of relief and worry scarring their faces

"Anna-" Arthur started to scold her but she cut him off.

"It's over there. Can't you see it?" She asked, pointing to the island.

Arthur looked out over the lake and the fog cleared a bit so he could see the outline of an island on the horizon.

"Yes," his throat went dry.

"Arthur, the others wanted to know what your orders are." Merlin asked, snapping Arthur out of his trance.

"We set up camp here. You can start collecting firewood Merlin." Arthur ordered.

"I'll help," Annabeth said brightly, dismounting her horse in one quick movement.

"Annabeth that's not necessary." Arthur told her, glaring at Merlin.

"Arthur's right, you don't have to do anything." Merlin nodded in agreement hastily.  
>"Well I want to. I refused to be treated like a china doll, as if I might break at any moment. I'm going to collect firewood. Feel free to join me if you want." With that she flounced off into the woods.<p>

"If anything happens to her…" Arthur threatened.

Merlin nodded and ran into the forest. A little way in he found her with a large pile of twig floating behind her on a sheet of ice. Merlin didn't say anything but bent down and started collecting twigs and fallen branches of his own.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Annabeth asked, adding another twig to her pile.

"It's not really my place to say." Merlin said evasively.

"Oh hush! We're friends, aren't we? You can say anything to me!" Annabeth persisted.

"It's just – I'm wondering why you really want to leave." Merlin admitted.

"Oh?"

"It's so obvious you love Arthur and you have friends in Camelot," He went on.

"What else?" Annabeth guided him, knowing there was more.

"There's so much we can learn from each other too and I don't want to waste this chance." He finished, thinking back to that day in the cave where she showed him her water display. If she hadn't almost died he would have loved to learn how to do that.

"Well you know where I live now. You can always come to stay for a few days whenever you want and we can learn from each other then." She suggested.

"And leave Arthur? It's like he almost dies every few days. It's my job to protect him. I don't think I could." He sounded so disappointed. His destiny was a huge burden to bear.

"Then I don't know what to tell you Merlin." Annabeth frowned, picking up a handful of twigs and added them to her pile.

"Come back to Camelot with us." Merlin pleaded.

"I can't return to Camelot. I shouldn't have gone in the first place but Orion insisted." Annabeth said stiffly.

"Why not?"

Annabeth didn't respond.

"Why not?" He repeated.

"Because I love him! If I return there would be nothing to stop me from getting rid of Gwen and revealing my magic to him!" she fought so hard not to shout. They were deeper in the woods now, farther away from the shore but they might still hear.

"You mean you'd kill her?" Merlin asked horrified.

"No! No, I would never dream of killing her! I just might make her move away or transfer her affections to someone else permanently." She backtracked quickly.

"Oh," Merlin sighed with relief.

"Yeah, oh. I just need to go home. Once I'm there I'll probably never leave again." She smiled sadly.

Neither of them spoke for a while as they worked. After a while Merlin decided to break the silence by saying that they ought to get themselves back to the camp before Arthur sent out a search party. Annabeth sighed and nodded in agreement, taking her huge pile of wood off the floating water which melted into a puddle on the floor, before following him back.

From behind some trees Lancelot started to run back to camp, hopefully beating them so they wouldn't even think that he'd heard their whole conversation.

"Where have you been? We were starting to worry," Arthur asked, getting up to take Annabeth's load off of her.

"I was showing Merlin how to collect firewood properly," Annabeth lied with a smile, nodding at the massive pile of wood she was carrying in comparison to Merlin's.

"Well you've done a very good job. You seem to have collected half the forest." Gwain laughed.

"So what do you boys want for dinner?" Annabeth asked as Merlin started a fire with what they'd collected.

"It's more a case of what we have." Arthur said, raiding the food sack.

Rolling her eyes she took the sack off Arthur and started rooting through it.

"Right, well if you boys get creative we can have bread with meat or fish and cheese." She told them.

Obediently the knights got up, leaving Annabeth, Arthur and Merlin alone at the fire.

"Aren't you going to join your men on the hunt sire?" Annabeth asked innocently.

"It would be ungentlemanly of me to leave you here without protection." Arthur reasoned.

"Merlin's still here," Annabeth pointed out.

Before Arthur could even shoot him the glare, Merlin spoke up.

"A-actually I'm going to g-go help Lancelot," he stammered before scrambling up and walking away quickly, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

"Arthur, you should be nicer to Merlin," Annabeth scolded.

"I'm expected to treat him a certain way. He's my servant-" he began to defend himself.

"He's your _friend_," Annabeth interrupted. "And a powerful ally."

"Powerful? Merlin?" Arthur scoffed.

"Well maybe if you stopped putting him down all the time you're see him for who he really is!" Annabeth shouted, standing up. "I know all about people like you Arthur, particularly _men_! You put other people down so that you can feel better about yourself when you already have everything you could ever want! Orion did it all the time to everyone he met, particularly to ME! People like you make people like Merlin and I feel bad about ourselves and cause us to be ashamed of you we are because you think you're better than us! You bully us because you can and you don't even think about how it could affect us! Well I am warning you now Arthur Pendragon, you better stop it or one day you will pay the price!"

A large roar of thunder emphasised her last word, causing Arthur to flinch as thick clouds rolled in to block out the stars and the moon.

"Don't you dare compare me to Orion! When have I ever made you ashamed to be yourself? Have I not encouraged you? Have I not accepted you? When have I ever made fun of you?" Arthur asked angrily.

"When have you ever made Merlin feel good about himself?" Annabeth countered.

"Can you see anything?" Merlin stage-whispered to Lancelot as they crept stealthily through the trees, scouring the ground for some kind of dinner.

"No," Lancelot hissed back. "It's rather hard to hunt like this. Can you, er, shine some light onto the situation?"

Merlin looked over to his left where Elyan was poking his sword in a bush about twenty feet away.

"I can't. It's too risky." Merlin frowned, returning his gaze back to the forest floor, looking for any sign of movement.

"Damn, we could've used some extra help too." Lancelot cursed.

Merlin, who has been looking intently at the ground hadn't been watching where he was going, smacked into a huge body, shaped like a brick wall. He could tell it was a body by the two massive feet that poked into his line of vision.

"Lancelot?" Merlin gulped. "We don't need extra help finding something." He slowly moved his head up, spotting Oroin's symbol on the man's chest just as Lancelot asked "Why?"

"Because it's found us." Merlin said, looking into the red eyes of one of Orion's enchanted warriors.

**Please review.**


	27. Chapter 27

"Annabeth, this isn't about Merlin! It's about you and me so stop dragging him into this!" Arthur demanded heatedly.

"I don't have to do what you tell me to!" Annabeth yelled back from the opposite side of the fire.

Rage rolled off her body in massive waves and if Arthur had looked behind him he might have seen the water rippling unnaturally in large perfect waves but Annabeth couldn't help it, nor could she stop it. She needed to sublimate or she would do some very dangerous magic and expose herself.

"Yes you do! I am the prince and you WILL do what I say!" he shouted back in retaliation.

"Well you in case you haven't noticed _sire_ we are not in the borders of your kingdom anymore! We are in the free land where you are no more important that I am! You can choose to give orders but I do not have to follow them!" She shouted. "And I wouldn't follow you, even if my life depended on it!"

"Then what are you doing here?"

"You and your little lost boys insisted on following ME out here so you tell me!"

"Arthur!" Leon panted, running out from the trees and bolting right into the middle of their argument. "Arthur, our camp is surrounded. We're being attacked by Orion's men!"

Arthur cursed under his breath, glancing at Annabeth. They were either coming to recapture her or kill them both. He wouldn't put it past Orion to have a gang of thugs at his disposal so they would undoubtedly have a few dirty tricks up their sleeves which meant more trouble than they would have normally dealt with. All of his anger instantly evaporated as worry took its place.

"Get on your horse," he ordered Annabeth, unsheathing his sword.

Wordlessly, Annabeth ran to her horse and untethered it from a tree, mounting it in one swift movement before throwing off her cloak. It lay abandoned on the floor as Annabeth readjusted the harness straps over her back, making sure she could reach the blades with ease.

"What was that about you not following me if your life depended on it?" Arthur asked with a hint of smugness in his voice.

"Now isn't the time," Leon reminded him.

Just then, a masked figure ran out of the trees sword help aloft, ready to strike. Leon flew into action and their swords met in an almighty crash.

"Anna, listen to me. I need to help the others but stay close, okay?" Arthur took hold of her horse's reins and handed them over to her.

"Okay," she breathed, nodding vigorously. She put one hand on the handle of one of her blades while the other gripped the reins tightly. Arthur wasn't going to let these men take her away.

"Follow me," Arthur instructed her.

Annabeth obeyed.

Crossing through the treeline was like entering a new world. Fights raged everywhere and immediately two men pounced upon them. Arthur was ready for the attack and raised his sword to deflect the first blow just before it could get lodged into his arm. While Arthur battled the first attacker head on, the second tried to sneak around behind him to get a cheap shot at his back.

"Oh no you don't," Annabeth muttered, pulling out her swords. She jumped off her horse and ran at the second attacker, loping off both his arms.

She stared in horror as black sand poured from his veins instead of blood, deflating the man as he fell to the floor. Around her there were cries of horror as the others discovered this too. There was no way magic was not involved here but how had Orion gotten his hands on a sorcerer? Because his mark was unmistakable on their chests.

Two more men entered their area of the clearing but Arthur hadn't yet finished with his first opponent and they were heading straight for him. Looking fearfully from Arthur to the pile of black sand that had been her victim, Annabeth ran to meet her two new enemies before they could reach Arthur, fighting them off with her twin katanas. Out of the corner of her eye she could see all the knights being driven into the clearing, fighting off at least two men each. Then Merlin was at her side and Annabeth felt relieved.

"Here," she grunted, passing him one of her own swords.

Merlin fumbled with the sword and purely by accident cut off the head of one of the men behind him. Annabeth felt lopsided as she instinctively turned round to check on Arthur and saw the next few seconds play out before it actually happened. The man fighting Elyan's brother knocked him out and was running at Arthur. He would cut his side, causing Arthur to fall to the ground before stabbing him through the heart, instantly killing him. She wanted to use magic or call to Merlin but they couldn't do anything. Merlin wasn't fast or a skilled fighter… but she was.

Twirling around, she sliced through her opponent's stomach with her sword and ran as fast as she could over to Arthur, pulling a sword out of a pile of sand as she went.

"ARTHUR!" She screamed.

He turned his head just in time to lower his sword as she crashed into him, moving him out of the way and blocking the sword that would have otherwise killed him. With two swords again she fought three men, using her body to shield Arthur as she did so. The uneven balance of her two swords made her fighting sloppy but it did the trick. Merlin was now with them, as was Gwain and they were getting Arthur to his feet.

"Take him somewhere safe." She ordered them as she cut off the legs of the biggest man attacking her, reducing him to a pile of dust before turning to face them. "Tell him I'm-"

Her ear-splitting shriek cut off her own sentence. Behind her a man dragged his sword in a single line down her back, cutting through her harness and clothes, leaving a huge gash along her spine. Annabeth crumpled to the floor in agony and blood flooded out of her body.

"You won't get away with that," Gwain growled, beating the man back away from Annabeth furiously with his sword.

"Annabeth!" Lancelot took Gwain's placed, fear in his eyes as he saw how hurt she was.

"Keep Arthur distracted," she begged, trying not to cry out in agony as she kept her eyes locked on Arthur's battling figure. "keep him away and safe. Please."

Lancelot nodded and went to Arthur's side to make sure he didn't turn around.

"Annabeth, what do I do?" Merlin panicked as he dropped to his knees beside her. He couldn't think of any healing spells for this and the light was fading from Annabeth's eyes, adding to the pressure.

"Water," she gasped.

Merlin remembered what she'd said a few hours earlier.

"_The water of this lake had magic healing powers. Whenever I was hurt as a little girl I'd bathe in the lake and emerge as good as new. That's how mummy said I got my magic, by being born into the lake."_

It was a long shot but worth a try. Merlin wouldn't let her die, not before her time.

"I am so, _so_, sorry for this Annabeth." He said softly, moving into a crouch.

He slid his hands under her body and in one quick movement picked her up, causing her to let out another shriek of pain. Merlin was shocked. She barely weighted a thing. It was like picking up a human shaped vase with only a trickle of water splashing about at the bottom. He did not dwell on this though because he had to run with her in his arms, leaving a trail of her blood behind them as he tried not to trip to bring her safely to water whilst she screamed in his ear and men swung swords at him. He did it though: jumping over piles of sand, logs and tree roots, dodging around swords and continuously talking to Annabeth over her screams of pain.

Once they were at the lake, Merlin waded in until he was knee deep and lay Annabeth face up on the surface of the water where she started to float unaided. Annabeth was silent for a moment and Merlin held his breath, waiting for something to happen. The world seemed to slow until it stopped, freezing everything around them.

And then the air was filled with an unearthly screech.

The water was moving, wrapping itself like glowing tentacles around Annabeth's legs, arms and torso, leaving her head and neck free. She thrashed against the water bands but they worked quickly, locking down her limbs so she couldn't move. Merlin reached his hand moronically to touch the water but thought better of it and watched her instead. The water around her began glowing an even lighter blue, almost white, as it gave of the occasional wisps of steam.

That's when she began screaming again.

"Arthur! Arthur it hurts! Help me!"

"Let go of me!" Arthur struggled against Lancelot, who'd been reduced to physically holding Arthur back. "She's hurt and she's calling for me!"

"No, Arthur you need to leave her alone!"

Around them the other men worked silently, gathering up swords and burning clothes. They couldn't dispose of the bodies because there weren't any.

"Why?" He demanded.

"Merlin's with her, treating her," Lancelot told him. "You don't want to see-"

"Yes I do! Now let me go!" Arthur bellowed, ignoring him.

Annabeth's yells had subsided yet she still whimpered and sobbed for Arthur. It was still a long time before it was over but when it was the water slowly receded back into the lake leaving Annabeth floating on the surface, soaking wet.

"Merlin, I'm cold," she moaned tiredly.

Merlin laughed in relief and picked Annabeth back up, carrying her back to sure.

"What are we going to tell Arthur?" He asked as he waded through the water.

"I don't know. I'm sure he saw my back," Annabeth frowned, battling the fog from her head. "And so did Gwain."

Merlin watched as she strained herself, trying to come up with a good lie. Merlin tried himself but he'd always been useless in cover stories.

"Get Lancelot. Make him bring a dagger or something." Annabeth said finally as he rested her against a boulder on the shore.

"Why?" Merlin asked suspiciously, scrutinising the pained look on her face.

"We need to reopen my wound. It's the only way." She explained darkly.

Merlin frowned but he knew better than to question her. Quickly Merlin pulled of his jacket and bundled it up to place underneath her head. With one last look he stood up and jogged off into the forest to find the others while Annabeth closed her eyes.

"Merlin! Thank goodness! Where is she? How is she? When can I see her?" Arthur asked desperately. He was now being made to sit on a log by the fire with Leon and Percival sat on either side of him.

"She's better than I thought she was but she won't let me clean the wound to prevent infection and her shirt is completely destroyed. I need Lancelot to restrain her for me and I also need someone's shirt. As for when you can see her, when you've calmed down, rested and eaten something." Merlin informed him.

"Take my spare," Gwain said, pulling it out of his saddle bag and throwing it at Merlin.

None of the others questioned Merlin and with a sigh, Lancelot stood up and joined Merlin.#

"Why did you leave her alone? What if something happens to her while you're gone! You shouln't have left her alone! What if-?" Arthur jumped up as he ranted but Percival was too fast for him and caught him in a full body bind before he could take two steps.

"Go. The sooner you help her, the sooner he'll see sense," Leon said.

"I take it you want to use magic, which is why you requested me?" Lancelot asked in a low voice once they were out of earshot.

"I don't know. Annabeth requested you for whatever reason." Merlin shrugged.

"What do you mean?" He'd barely said a word to Annabeth in the time that he knew her.

Merlin explained what happened but that didn't quite answer his question.

"Well's she's brave. I'll give her that." Lancelot said finally as they approached her.

"Aww, thank you," Annabeth smiled weakly.

While they were gone she'd managed to roll on to her front but she'd scratched her hands and face up in the process.

"What have you done?" Merlin grimaced, inspecting the damage as he crouched by her head.

"I saved time," she shrugged. "Have you told him the plan?"

"Yes but I need to get some medical stuff from my horse. I'll be back in a second." Merlin stood up and jogged off while Lancelot pulled out his dagger.

They sat in silence while they waited for Merlin to return, Lancelot playing with the dagger in his hands. His eyes strayed to the long thin line down Annabeth's back that she would undoubtedly ask him to trace.

Merlin returned, huffing and puffing with clean bandages, Gwain's shirt still in his hands.

"Ah, here comes the worst bit," Annabeth bit her lip, eyeing Lancelot's dagger.

"Annabeth, I'm sure there's another way," Merlin started, worried that something would go wrong and they'd have to throw her in the lake again. He didn't know how well the water had healed her wound and what they were doing could kill her.

"Shut up and pin me down Merlin," Annabeth snapped. "We're running out of time. Now Lancelot, if you can trace the scar please. Not too deep but not too shallow either." She requested.

"Maybe Merlin should do it." Lancelot frowned.

"Fine, Merlin do it. Just hurry." Annabeth was trying very hard not to chicken out and start shaking or whatever. She didn't want to make this hard for them but they weren't exactly helping her.

Merlin and Lancelot swapped placed, exchanging the dagger. Merlin mumbled some instructions to Lancelot and he moved Annabeth so that she was sitting on his lap, facing him and laying her head on his chest. He shuffled back so the boulder supported his back and wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a sort of bear hug.

"Close your eyes and bite this," Lancelot whispered into Annaebth's ear, feeling her brace herself.

Annabeth breathed deeply and squeezed her eyes shut, biting hard on the leather strap. When he was sure she was ready Lancelot looked up at Merlin and nodded, indicating that he was ready.

**Please review.**


	28. Chapter 28

In the makeshift camp Arthur sat tensely on the edge of the log. Memories of Anna swam about in his head as he worried about her. She had to be okay. He'd never forgive himself if she wasn't. She HAD to be okay.

"Arthur?" Merlin's voice snapped Arthur out from his daydream. "She needs you."

That was all he needed to say.

Arthur leapt up out of his seat and sprinted towards the shore. As he exploded through the trees, Arthur instantly located Annabeth. She was lying on a blanket Merlin had thoughtfully packed with the servant's jacket supporting her head. Lancelot sat on the floor next to her, staring over the lake into the fog.

"Arthur?" Annabeth croaked, sensing his presence.

"I'm here," he called in a strained voice, closing the distance between them.

As he became level with Lancelot he froze. He could see her clearly now as some clouds parted overhead to let the moonlight through. Her beautiful mousy brown her was dark and wet with water and blood drying onto it. A bandaged wrapped tightly around her torso was mostly hidden by Gwain's spare shirt but it laboured her breathing a lot. She was so pale and her face and hands were all scratched up.

"I'll leave you two to it." Lancelot announced unnecessarily, standing up. He nodded to Arthur and vanished into the forest to join the others.

"Arthur, is it meant to be dark?" Annabeth asked feebly, still slightly delirious from the pain

"Yes. It's night Anna, remember?" Arthur reminded her, so happy that she was going to be okay that he couldn't think of anything else.

"Oh yes, I do now. I'm just a little tired. I can't think straight and my back hurts," She half-laughed. "Did you know there's a legend that says the waters of this lake have magical healing powers? May always told me that it did but I never tried it out."

"I don't think we should try now. You're cold, tired and hurt. Let's get you back to camp." Arthur smiled comfortingly.

If the water in the lake really could heal her, he'd put her in it himself in a heartbeat to spare her the pain she was going through. He just didn't want to get his or her hopes up for them to come crashing down. Never mind the fact that there was magic involved. She could make him see the good side to magic and forgive it. She had already started to and she didn't even have any herself.

"You forgot hungry." She joked as Arthur bent down next to her to pick her up.

"You're so much stronger than you look Anna," he complimented. "Probably stronger than some of my knights."

"I always wanted to be a knight," she said quite seriously, biting her lip as the cut on her back stretched.

"You know if you come back with us you could be," Arthur told her.

"Arthur, you promised," She reminded him. "Besides, we've made it this far. It's time I returned home."

"I know and I'm sorry but I can't stop thinking you're making a massive mistake." Arthur sulked.

"Arthur, stop it." Annabeth snapped.

"You know what, I won't stop it. I love you Annabeth and I want to be with you. Tell me you don't feel the same way." Arthur stopped dead in his tracks and looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms.

"Arthur, I said stop," she warned. "Don't make me do this."

Arthur said nothing but looked down at her expectantly.

"Arthur, I love you but I'm not going to stay." She sighed. This on-going argument was really getting tedious now. She was almost ready to tell him she had magic if it would make him shut up but then again she daren't. Freedom was almost hers.

"Why not?" Arthur demanded.

"Because of Gwen! No matter what you say or feel about me you will always love her more than a friend and I can't deal with that. Besides, you need her more than me."

"That's not true!" Arthur insisted.

"It is Arthur and you know it."

They both remained silent, angry but even more in love with each other than before. But the feelings needed to go away or Arthur would not leave her alone. That meant no kissing and certainly no touching.

"Put me down Arthur," Annabeth said icily.

Arthur began to start walking to the campsite again.

"Arthur I said put me down." She repeated, louder.

Arthur didn't respond and just kept on walking.

"Arthur put me down! Or are you planning on carrying me back to Camelot?" She shouted.

"No I'm not! I'm going to take you home and then I'm going to abandon you there just like you want!" He shouted back.

"Why do you have to be such a git about it?" Annabeth fumed.

"Because I can be!" Arthur countered childishly.

"Arthur, put me the _hell_ down!" Annabeth roared.

"Fine!" Arthur yelled setting her on her feet.

Glaring, Annabeth leaned against the nearest tree to straighten her back and ease her pain.

"You can go now," she said coolly, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.

"No, I m gong to stary here and watch you make your way to the campsite that you don't know the location of," Arthur glared, folding his arms and adopting a cruel grin.

"Fine,"

Looking on the floor, Annabeth saw a sword at her feet. Awkwardly, painfully, she crouched down and picked it up. Then, facing it point down she used it as a walking stick to help ease the strain on her back. Once she was comfortable she used it to hobble stiffly make her way to the others, Arthur walking beside her at a painfully slow pace seemingly at ease.

"Will you leave me alone?" Annabeth snapped.

"No, I won't." Arthur declared with a fake smile.

"Percival! Make Arthur stop bullying me!" Annabeth wailed, knowing full-well that the knights were listening in on their conversation as she could see the faint glow of the fire through the trees ahead of them. She was right.

"Do you really think Percival, one of _my_ knights, is really going to do something to stop me from "bullying" you?" Arthur smirked disbelievingly.

"Percival is lovely and always willing to help a damsel in distress. He's ten times more of a man than you are." She laughed spitefully.

"I highly doubt that." Arthur shook his head, plumping up his own ego.

"The man doesn't wear any arm armour for crying out loud! If he weren't so attractive in looks _and_ personality I'd be very scared of him!" Annabeth exclaimed exasperatedly.

"So now you're saying Percival is better looking and has a nicer personality than me?" Arthur asked, outraged.

"No I'm not! I never said that!" Annabeth denied, her voice rising.

"But you implied it!"

"But I didn't say it!"

"It's practically the same thing!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"It's not!"

"But it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Annabeth, I'm not going to fight you because I'm right and it is!"

"Arthur Pendragon you are an insufferable ass and it isn't."

"Call me that again!"

"Call you what?"

"Say it again! I dare you!"

"Say what, your _name_?"

"Call me an ass again!"

"Only because you want me to."

"But I don't!"

"Oh, but Mister Pendragon, you do."

"Shut up!"

"Don't tell me to shut up!"

"Well I believe I just did!"

"Well don't!"

"Well I can do whatever I want! You can't boss me about! I'm a prince!"

"The Prince of Insufferable Asses? More like the king!"

"That's it!" I'm sick of you yelling!" Arthur yelled.

"You started it. It's not my fault you fell in love with me. I never asked for you. You just came in and upturned my life for the worse." Annabeth said in a low, heated voice.

"I saved you," Arthur reminded her.

"You think I don't want to die? It'd be easier for the both of us if I just died. You can never have me anyway. There's no point in pretending, even if you are too weak to let me go." Annabeth snarled, striking a nerve.

"I am not _weak!_" Arthur raged, pulling out his sword.

As quickly as she could, Annabeth raised her prop to stop Arthur from cutting her body in half. The force of the two colliding swords knocked Annabeth back into a tree before sliding on to the ground, causing her to cry with pain.

The knights came sprinting out of the trees at that point. Percival, Lancelot and Elyan instantly went to restrain Arthur who was seething mad and may potentially strike out again. Gwain and Merlin threw themselves down on their knees next to Annabeth to check for new injuries whilst Leon stood as a human barrier between them all.

"What's going on?" Leon demanded.

"He's a maniac! Is that not clear? I'm sure you were listening in on our conversation. He made it loud enough!" She said accusingly.

"Shut up! _Shut up!_" Arthur shouted, struggling to break free.

"No!" she yelled back.

"STOP IT!" Leon thundered.

There was absolute silence.

"Now be quiet. Yes Annabeth, we heard most of the… conversation but not the last bit. Who attacked who first and why?" Leon explained calmly, hoping it would influence them.

"He attacked me," she said stoically, looking right into Leon's eyes.

"Why?" Leon pushed her for information.

"She called me weak." Arthur fumed.

From the look on their faces, the knights were trying very hard to remain impartial and not to comment.

"And why did you call him that?" Leon asked slowly.

"He is too weak to let me go and selfish to boot. Any strong man would let me go if he truly loved me and would wait for me to return to him. A strong man could live without me. Love makes you weak!" She spat, repeating words Orion had told her a very long time ago and hating herself more and more with every word that came out of her mouth.

"Fine! You want me to be strong? I'll be strong! As soon as it gets light my knights and I will ride back to Camelot. You can make your own way from here." Arthur snapped, wrenching out of the hold of the others to stalk off into the trees.

**Please review.**


	29. Chapter 29

"You have to understand what I'm doing." Annabeth said sadly. She was sat on a log in the camp while Merlin checked her bandages on her back while the other knights (with the exception of Lancelot who was watching Arthur hack at a tree with a sword out in the forest somewhere away from them) were just milling around aimlessly, waiting for Merlin to start their dinner.

"I need him to be mad at me so he'll let me go," she explained. She had to explain to someone because she looked like the villain here and in a way she was.

"And why do you need to go, huh?" Gwain asked tiredly.

"I miss my home," she lied.

"No you don't," Elyan said, staring at her intently. "There's something in your eyes.. you're lying."

"So what if I am? It's obvious I don't belong in Camelot. Why can I not leave without all the drama?" She asked frustratedly.

"Because we think you belong." Elyan replied simply.

"I really don't." she frowned, wincing as Merlin tightened the bandage.

"Sorry," he apologised quietly before going back to concentrate on the bandage.

"Explain to us then." Percival asked.

"Friends I've loved dearly have died there. May died twice. I have no work and few friends – only you boys and maybe Gwen at a stretch. Because you knights go gallivanting off on quests and missions all the time I'll be left alone for long periods of time. I wasn't designed to be the lovely maiden confined in the castle, nor the stunning lady whose friends with everyone in the court but without a lover." She tried her best to give genuine reasons.

"But isn't that what Arthur wants to do? To love you?" Gwain asked.

"Yes but I can't do that to Gwen, can I? She's meant to be a friend and she loves Arthur almost as much as I do!" Annabeth reminded them.

"Almost as much?" Leon questioned.

"I'm letting him go. That's the symbol of true love. If you let it go, it proves you love it enough to set it free and do as it wants. If it returns, it's yours to keep." Annabeth said wisely.

"That's really sweet," Percival commented.

"And a load of bollocks if you ask me." Gwain added, standing up and going over to his horse.

"Of course it is to you Gwain. You know nothing of love. You're too much of a ladies man," Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Don't try to deny it Gwain. It's perfectly true," Percival laughed as his friend went to defend himself.

As the rest of the knights laughed Merlin finished with the bandage.

"Finally we can eat!" Gwain cried happily.

Once dinner had been served, Arthur and Lancelot returned to the camp to eat. Annabeth refused her portion; slowly sipping on a tin cup of water instead as she watched them men devour their meal. None of them decided to stay up much longer for really there wasn't any point. As soon as they'd set up make-shift beds, they all went to sleep, excluding Arthur who has insisted he stay up for First Watch.

As she lay down in under her thin travel cloak, Annabeth tossed and turned, unable to go to sleep. It was more than just the cold and the pain in her back. She felt guilty. She didn't want to fight with Arthur but she had to. She'd convinced herself she had to.

"If you could stop moving around I'd be grateful. You're putting me on edge." Arthur whispered in her ear.

Annabeth jumped wildly, twisting her back slightly and reopening the wound a little as she turned towards Arthur.

"I'm sorry, I can't sleep." She hissed back.

"I gathered at much." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice which Annabeth didn't really appreciate.

"No need for that." She muttered darkly, burrowing back down under her cloak.

"Well I'm the king of insufferable asses apparently. I believe it's part of the job description." He said coolly.

There was silence and in the distance they could both hear an owl hooting in the distance.

"I don't want to fight with you Arthur," Annabeth sighed sadly.

"Then why do you do it?" Arthur asked, confused.

"I need you to let me go Arthur." She was breathing deeply now to hold back tears. "Because if you don't then I'll want to stay with you forever and if you stopped loving me, I'd die."

"I could never stop loving you," Arthur said quietly.

"You don't know anything about me." Annabeth pointed out.

"I think I do but if I don't then tell me. I'd still love you." He insisted.

"You wouldn't. You really wouldn't." A tear rolled from the corner of her eye.

"Are you crying?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

"No," she lied, her voice breaking.

"Anna," Arthur sighed, his resolve breaking. He was going to stay away from her. He wasn't going to love her anymore but he couldn't help it. "Come here."

"No," stubbornly she buried her face in her make-shift pillow (Merlin's jacket).

Laughing quietly, he pulled Annabeth carefully out from under her cloak and into his lap. She didn't help him as she cried. The pain was too much.

"Anna, relax. I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"You tried to kill me earlier." She reminded him in a muffled voice as she'd buried her face in his shoulder.

"I know and I'm sorry. I know it doesn't even start to make up for the way I acted but you really pushed me to the edge." Absent-mindedly he started to stroke her hair as he stared off into the distance.

"I need you to let me go," she begged quietly in his ear.

"Maybe you do but not tonight. I'll stay with you until you sleep." Arthur decided.

"You don't have to. I'll go to sleep somehow." She shook her head, trying to move off his lap.

"No," she locked his arms around her. "You're crying still. I can't leave you like this." He pulled her closer still to him so they were almost merging into one being.

"You're a kind man Arthur. I hope that when I'm gone you'll be happy." She smiled weakly and snuggled up against Arthur.

"Be happy without you?" He asked, leaning back against a tree. "Impossible."

"You did it before you met me. You can do it again," she sniffed.

"But I don't think I can," he muttered to himself, stroking Annabeth's hair as he let her fall asleep in his arms, where she belonged.

**Please review.**


	30. Chapter 30

"Annabeth?" Arthur asked groggily as he woke up the next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves on to his face as he and the other men woke up simultaneously. Arthur couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep but he was pretty sure Annabeth had still been peaceful in his arms, which were now empty. Feeling the ground around him, Arthur wondered if she'd rolled away but the empty space around him suggested otherwise.

His eyes snapped open as Arthur sat up too quickly, making himself dizzy. A quick scan around their campsite showed him that she wasn't there anymore.

"Annabeth?" He asked louder, growing increasingly worried. Had she wandered off or was she taken?

The other men were fully awake now and on their feet, already searching for the missing lady.

"Not again," Arthur muttered to himself, jumping up. "ANNABETH!"

The other knights began to fan out as Arthur himself was about to move out too. He grabbed his sword and was all ready to go charging off into the forest after her when Merlin put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"She can look after herself just fine," Merlin said comfortingly. "You shouldn't worry about Annabeth. She's probably just gone back to the shore again."

"Not with a bleeding back she can't," Arthur snapped, shrugging off Merlin's hand.

"Uh, Arthur?" Elyan asked nervously. He was sporting a large purple lump on his head along with several other battle injuries from the night before.

"Yes?" Arthur asked rather patiently for a man falling to pieces inside.

"I found her… but-" Elyan reported, unsure about whether he should smile or not.

"But what?" Arthur demanded, not caring for Elyan's hesitancy.

"Well come and see," Elyan decided.

He led Arthur and Merlin a little way east of their clearing to where the ground became a steep slope. At the bottom was a clear, steaming pool of water and steadily climbing her way up the bank in nothing but a towel was Annabeth, dripping wet and struggling.

"Oh stop gawping you lot," she laughed, looking up to see _all _of her companions staring at her wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"Uh… Uh…" Arthur replied moronically.

"Oh really? Are you telling me you've never seen a woman like this before?" she stopped and leant against a tree for support, her smile hiding the fact that she was out of breath as she folded her arms.

None of the men responded to her.

"Right, well while you're all standing their goggling, my back is in total agony and I'm stuck on this bank so…" She huffed, feeling her back freeze up.

Still she was met with blank faces.

"Really?" She groaned. Still nothing so she began to talk to herself, working through the sudden paralyzing wave of pain. "Right, okay. You need clothes as it's cold. Those big strong men up there are useless so right foot up and-" she hissed in pain.

"For God's sake! Stop staring!" She shouted up the bank, struggling against tears of pain.

Arthur snapped out it first. As quickly as he could he made his way down to her without slipping and falling on his butt. Once he was there he wrapped his strong arms around Annabeth and held her close, whispering comforting words to her. Realizing Annabeth's distress, the men at the top of the bank retreated back to the campsite to give them both some privacy. Merlin hovered nearby, out of sight though, worried that they might turn on each other again though they'd made up while he slept.

"You're almost home. It's going to be okay," Arthur hushed Annabeth, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her steadily back to the camp.

An hour later and Annabeth was in one of her dresses with a fresh bandage and was finished being force-fed breakfast. The pain in her back made her nauseous and now she could feel the food churning around inside of her stomach as she waited patiently for the camp to be packed up and evidence to be eradicated so that someone could help her up onto her horse. She really regretted reopening her wound but it was necessary to protect the magic from Arthur. She was scared he'd make her move away from it because of his tainted view of magic.

"There's no way you're riding on your own," Arthur scoffed, approaching her.

"I could do it," Annabeth insisted, looking up at the horse which now suddenly seemed to have tripled in size.

"I'm sure you could but Merlin says your back needs support so you're going to ride with me," Arthur explained authoritatively, taking the reins to her horse out of Annabeth's hands and handing them to Merlin who gave Annabeth a sheepish look as she was led away.

Annabeth knew better than to complain as Arthur leapt expertly up onto his horse but she really no clue how she was going to get up there herself. No way would she be able to get on herself or pulled up. Just the thought of it made her back scream in protest.

As she opened her mouth to ask a pair of very strong hands placed themselves on either side of her waist and lifted Annabeth up onto the saddle in front of Arthur with apparent ease. Once she was there Arthur arranged the reins around Annabeth, making sure that his chest supported her back. Annabeth couldn't help but thinking about how warm Arthur was and had to distract herself in case she started blushing. Annabeth looked to the left to see who was her helper and was met with the grinning face of Percival.

"Thank you," She beamed, relaxing slightly against Arthur.

"Any time my lady," Percival bowed before returning to his own horse.

"We're just waiting on Merlin," Leon informed them, trotting up on his own horse.

"Of course we are," Arthur exhale noisily.

A small dig in the ribs from Annabeth and Arthur frowned.

"Take your time Merlin. We're not in a rush." Arthur called out uncharacteristically sincere.

"Better," Annabeth mumbled, hiding her face so no one else could see.

The sun was still quite low in the sky as the group left the shelter of the forest to assemble on the shore. This is where they encountered a problem. How would they get themselves across? There were no boats and no one except maybe Annabeth would know how deep it got. It seemed foolish to attempt to ride across but none of them could think of what else to do. The announcement of this plan caused a squabble over who would take the lead. Lancelot, Leon and Annabeth all wanted to talk the lead, Gwain and Arthur thought to send Merlin first but he wasn't having that and when Elyan volunteered he was shot down because he kept swaying dangerously on his horse which apparently clouded his judgement. In the end Annabeth had had enough and snatched the reins from Arthur's grip, sending them hurtling into the water.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked angrily, trying to take the reins back.

"Riding a horse!" Annabeth laughed, elbowing him in the ribs so he'd back off.

Behind them there were splashes as the others followed them. Annabeth was so thankful that Arthur was sat behind her because she could do very subtle magic to create a path of ice under the hooves of the horses to the island without being caught out. It was an incredibly risky move but if she was correct there would be a lot of work to do when they got to the house which meant they needed time and strength to carry on, which from the look of Elyan in particular, they did not possess. They were almost at the opposite bank when Annabeth made up her mind and decided to do something even more risky and stupid.

Tightening her grip on the reins, the ice beneath their feet cracked. Everyone heard the deep sound and froze.

"What was that?" Arthur asked suspiciously.

"I don't know," Annabeth lied, urging the horse forward.

"Annabeth, I don't think-" Arthur began to warn her but it was too late. The horse plummeted through the ice and submerged them both in the water.

The effect was instant. The water had a mind of its own. The two were propelled apart, the water forming tentacles like it had the night before to wrap around Annabeth. Shouts rose up from all of her male companions as they began to be tossed off their horses and too bound by the water. It was fear more than anger that made them raise their voices as it seeped across their skin, caressing the faces and locating their wounds. Pain as the water burned them, cleaning their injuries and distracting them as Annabeth was fully submerged under the surface. The lake had thought no one had noticed but Merlin did. He saw her disappear and was torn between calling out for her to be pulled back up or to let the lake heal her like it was attempting to do with all of them. He stopped struggling as he watched the spot where Annabeth had been anxiously. She could drown, he knew that now, and she seemed to be staying under for quite some time. It was chaos around him with shouts and thrashing and magic and everything was getting to his head. He wanted to tear out his hair, dive after Annabeth, check on Arthur and spontaneously combust all at once. He didn't even bother fighting the healing tentacles that wrapped around his own body as he fought to keep himself under control.

And then it stopped. The lake didn't just let the men go; it shot them like cannon balls out of the water and onto the sandy shore of the island one by one (excluding the horses who were allowed to gracefully trot onto land). Luckily no one was hurt but there was still a lot of confusion as the men noticed Annabeth was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" Arthur panicked, being the first one to come to his senses.

Only Merlin heard him but before he could even think of a response Arthur had managed to strip off the majority of his chainmail and was diving back into the water after her. It was impossible how quick he had shed his second skin but the adrenaline that flooded his veins was propelling him forward with lightning speed to find Annabeth.

Arthur's eyes stung as he opened them beneath the water but that didn't deter him as he searched for Annabeth among the beams of light. Within moments that felt like years he'd spotted her through the shimmering blue and started making his way towards her. He quickly stopped again, unsure of what to make of what he saw. Annabeth was encased in some sort of glowing bubble, her dress and hair floating eerily around her in the silence. She laid very still as clouded liquid seeped from her back through the drenched fabric. Her eyes were closed so she could have easily been sleeping or even dead but that small voice in the back of his head that sounded like Annabeth told him that she wasn't dead and to keep back from her. He obeyed the voice although he wasn't quite sure why. They could both be drowning… drowning… Why wasn't he drowning? How long had it been since he'd taken breath? How long had it been since _she'd_ taken a breath? Panic returned to him but the voice was louder now and more forceful.

_Calm, Arthur, _it soothed_, you're both fine. It's almost over._

And so it was. The light around Annabeth was fading and together they were rising towards the surface. Arthur didn't understand or particularly care how this was happening or why. Magic was blatantly at work here and it scared him though he would obviously pretend otherwise. So many things scared him at that current moment in time and it was all becoming this giant mess of thoughts inside his head which he was pretty sure was about to explode -

Air, fresh air that Arthur gratefully gasped in large amounts surrounded him now. A few feet in front of him Annabeth was doing the same. Cries from the shore bombarded their ears but Arthur didn't bother to try and make out what they were saying. He was too preoccupied with Annabeth who looked like she was panicking by the way she was thrashing about in the reasonably deep water.

"Anna, Anna, it's okay," Arthur hushed her, grabbing a flailing limb and dragging them together through the water.

"I – what – ah!" Annabeth just didn't know what to say. The lake's actions had taken her by surprise. She was completely healed but she'd never been sucked under the surface against her will and rendered unconscious before, nor had she any memory of the lake ejecting people from between its waves before.

"Annabeth, calm down." Arthur said firmly, grabbing her shoulders to start towing her towards the shore.

"Arthur, you don't understand. I'm _healed_." Annabeth forced wonder into her voice.

"You're what?" Arthur asked, his feet finally touching the bank.

"Arthur, my back is better." Annabeth insisted, faking amazement.

"Impossible," Arthur shook his head in disbelief as they stumbled out of the lake towards the others rushing towards them.

"Arthur, it's true!" Annabeth insisted.

"She's telling the truth. The lake has healed all our wounds," Elyan smiled. He looked brand new and the grin on his unbruised face looked so much nicer than the tired scowl he'd worn earlier.

"I don't want you to stay here." Arthur frowned, straightening up as they joined the others.

"You're kidding right? How could you even say that?" Annabeth's voice was deathly serious as she glared at Arthur, holding back desperately for yelling at him. "I have just been saved a lot of pain, _weeks_' worth of it! Yes, so it was magic that saved me but so what? Magic just helped you and your knights too! It's not all evil and it should make you feel better to know that I won't be in trouble if I get majorly hurt because I don't have a physician like you! I'm isolated here!"

The fact that he wouldn't even give magic a chance was ripping her apart, only strengthening her resolve to remove herself from him. It hadn't even been her, nor had it done anything remotely scary and he was still rejecting it, regarding it as evil. She could see the fear in his eyes and she hated it. He made her hate herself and her gift which was something she couldn't stand. He would never learn she was sure of it.

Arthur looked at her speechless. She was right and he hated it. He hated having to resort to magic because he couldn't always be there to help her. If he dragged her back to Camelot she'd never forgive him and she would keep pushing him until he let her go. He just _had_ to let it slide, despite how much he hated it or else he'd lose her completely.

"Okay," Arthur sighed, doing the most uncharacteristic thing possible and not fighting back. "Are you going to lead the way to your house then?" He asked with a false smile, gesturing to the path through the trees.

Annabeth scrutinised him closely before realising he wasn't going to argue. Slightly shocked, she rung out her hair and led the dripping wet group on foot to her childhood home.

**Please review**


	31. Chapter 31

**WARNING: This story is strictly T rating but there are hints of mature content at the end of this chapter.**

The house reminded Arthur a lot of Camelot's castle actually. Maybe not from the outside which was two stories of greying white-washed walls in a large-ish square. It was when Percival crashed through the iron bar gate and into the small tunnel that led to the courtyard that they felt the full force of familiarity. The courtyard alone was massive and probably took up more space than the long, thin room that lined three of the four side of the square (the fourth wall on the left-hand side of the tunnel was composed of wooden barn-front, housing a stable for the horses). The ground floor was almost an exact replica of Arthur's castle, surrounded by white twisting pillars that supported the balconies that bordered the first floor. Door spaced evenly apart on both level stood ajar, some of them incredibly damaged causing Annabeth to sigh. No doubt many of the forest animals had made their homes in the bedrooms that dominated the upper floor.

With a nod of Arthur's head, Merlin led their horses off into the stable while Annabeth directed them to the kitchen. Arthur stopped her before she could enter and made Percival go in first to make sure that there were no potential threats living in the shadows. Annabeth rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She knew it was safe – no human could get on the island without her permission and the magic would have warned her of unwanted intruders the moment her foot was placed on the sand. Once Arthur was satisfied the coast was clear, Annabeth swept into her favourite room from her childhood.

It was ruined.

Rat droppings littered the floor, cupboards were falling off the walls, the large sturdy table was on its side and bowl, plates and pots lay among the leaves and rubbish dragged in by animals. Annabeth took a very deep breath and closed her eyes, welcoming the silence of her destroyed surroundings before gathering together and organising her thoughts.

"Right, Leon, there are brooms over in that cupboard there. Get one please?" she pointed to the wooden door on the right-hand wall, ignoring his grimace. "Arthur, Percival, you can search all the rooms and drive out any living creature you might find. Gwain, Elyan, Lancelot, if you could go through all the rooms and see what's salvageable, what can be sold or fixed and anything that is broken beyond repair just throw it into a large pile in the courtyard." She ordered.

They had come to an agreement on the trek up that the knights were going to stay with Annabeth, help her repair and restart her life before returning to Camelot. It was only fair; they couldn't exactly abandon her in this dung-heap alone. It was cruel to put it simply and Arthur needed to know she was going to be alright alone.

"What about me my lady?" Lon asked, presenting her with a broom.

"Upstairs is entirely bedrooms. I need you to gather all the bed sheets and clothes. Anything that can be worn or slept in goes in the wagon which should be in the stables. Merlin and I will wash them this afternoon. When you see him, could you send him here please?" She requested sweetly, speaking quite quickly.

Leon nodded and followed the others out of the room. Annabeth heaved a sigh and began sweeping the rubbish into the empty fireplace. While the men were moving around outside she couldn't risk using magic. She would undoubtedly been seen and therefore killed which she didn't want to happen funnily enough. Therefore she would have to do this the old fashioned way.

"You wanted me?" Merlin asked, entering the litter-free kitchen.

"Three things - One: get rid of the stuff in the fireplace please?" she asked quietly, sweeping the last little bit into the pile.

After a discreet check to make sure the coast was clear and a quick flash of golden eyes, the pile disappeared and Annabeth smiled wryly. She hadn't meant like that.

"Two: help me with this please?" she smiled and set aside the broomstick to grab one end of the table.

"Sure," he returned the smile and with a small grunt they had the table standing upright again. "And three?"

"Can you take Percival to the lake? We need several barrels of water to get us through to the afternoon. There's a second wagon in the stable as you probably saw. Is that okay?" she asked as nicely as possible, fretting slightly. It was quite a hard task and the men might not want to drink the magic water.

"Of course Annabeth," he hugged her briefly before leaving because she looked like she desperately needed a hug (and she kind of did).

Once he was gone Annabeth went through the demoralising task of picking up pots and other various items from the floor. She stacked them all on the table but she couldn't clean them until Merlin returned with the water which deeply irritated her. There was nothing more calming than washing dishes but she had to get rid of all the mouldy food from the cupboards instead by putting them into broken buckets and tossing them onto the gargantuan pile of unsalvageable items evolving in the courtyard that was to be incinerated later that evening.

Sir Leon approached her as she headed back to the kitchen with her empty buckets, ready for a second round. Apparently he was done with his allotted task so she sent him off with Elyan to collect fire wood for the rooms.

"Don't break anything off f trees. I'm very serious. Just pick up things from the floor." She insisted with the utmost sincerity.

"What should I do then?" Arthur asked, striding towards her as Leon left in search of Elyan.

"Well you have a choice my Lord. You can collect firewood, look for broken things, muck out the stables, find out why Merlin is taking so long, clean linen, search for food, go exploring or rest." Annabeth suggested, reeling off every possible job that needed doing off of the top of her head plus things he might actually want to do.

"What are you doing?" Arthur folded his arms and stood his ground, bracing himself for whatever quarrel she may start.

"_I_ am going to finish this job and then go down to the lake to wash bedclothes so you boys can be warm and comfortable when you sleep tonight." She decided on the spot, returning to the kitchen.

"Then so am I," Arthur decided following her.

Annabeth rolled her eyes but once again didn't argue. Instead she just told him where the soap was kept and to go hitch up two horses to the wagon (not that she believed he could do it on his own).

The sun shone on the water making it sparkle. Arthur and Annabeth stood knee-deep in the warm, washing a giant white sheet between them. Birds chirped in the trees above their heads and Arthur was questioning Annabeth on her childhood, fascinated by a life that was very different from his (though it was slightly edited for his benefit). It was so calm and there was a romantic tint to the soft breeze. The water reflected up on Annabeth's face, casting diamond patterns there which magnified her beauty until Arthur had to look away because it hurt his heart too much. Was he really going to go back to Camelot without her?

"Arthur?" Annabeth called with concern as she finished folding up the sheet, ready to put it in the wagon.

"I know I said I wouldn't try to persuade you to come back with me to Camelot but I never said I wouldn't tell you that I love you." Arthur reminded her cautiously.

"Don't," she begged but he shook his head.

"I can't not say it," He told her almost desperately. She needed to know.

"I know how you feel but you must try and stop it," she reprimanded him.

"Why?" He demanded to know. He still didn't understand her thought process at all. The mixed signals were driving him mad but it didn't matter too much as he had a sneaking suspicion that Annabeth didn't know what she wanted either.

""Because you must," she insisted, turning away to swap bed sheets.

"No," Arthur shook his head. He snatched the folded up square from her hands and tossed it back onto the shore before pulling Annabeth close to him.

"Arthur, what are you doing?" Annabeth tried not to keep calm because she had not expected this kind of forceful behaviour from Arthur.

"I am telling you, showing you that I love you. I am going to enjoy every last moment I get to spend with you, starting from now and you are going to let me." He told her in a hushed voice.

"Are you so sure these moments are our last?" she whispered, knowing full-well that they were.

"Well if they're good ones, then no." he guessed, kissing her.

"Should I ask why you two are so wet or why you've been gone for so long?" Merlin asked with a smirk.

"No," Arthur scowled, stalking past Merlin to who knows where.

"He didn't want to finish washing so I dunked him," Annabeth winked, leaving out the part where they'd gotten a bit too enthusiastic during their kiss and fell over into the water.

"So everyone is done with their tasks." Merlin informed her, helping to unhitch the horses.

"Good, I'll need help hanging all these up," she smiled.

About an hour later the men had finished draping the bed sheets over the balcony banisters and Annabeth emerged from the peg-room – a room full of wooden poles protruding from the walls to hang wet clothes over. Every single peg was as full as it could possibly be, mainly with all of her uncle's clothes. Laurel and Robert appeared to have taken most of her mother's dresses but still, everyone had things to change into should they wish.

"What now?" Gwain asked, jogging down the spiral staircase in a far corner that led to the upper floor.

"Well I think you've all worked hard enough so I'll make lunch with the remaining supplies then you can all relax, explore and even find the path to the village if you like." she suggested cheerfully.

"There's a village on the island?" Gwain asked in a slightly confused manner.

"Not on the island, no," Annabeth laughed. "On the far side there's a stone path across the water that if you follow takes you to the village where you can sell some of these dresses and buy food and supplies to help fix the house.

"Then we'll drag Merlin with us and do that then." Gwain decided.

"Okay," she smiled before returning to the kitchen once more.

"Will you go with the others to the village?" Annabeth asked, opening the lid of one of the water barrels so she could finally wash some dishes.

She hadn't so much as glanced behind her to see Arthur hidden by the shadows in the corner of the room yet she'd know he was there which amazed him. She really was something else.

"No. You might need my help here." He replied passing her a dish for her to clean with a rag she'd found lurking in a cupboard.

"Okay," Annabeth nodded, concentrating on the therapeutic task of cleaning.

"Do you want me to go?" Arthur asked with frown, leaning against the table as he misinterpreted her tone.

"I want… I want you to be happy," she said meaning every word.

One the dishes were done Annabeth packed most of the dwindling amount of food into a sack as well as some of the simpler clothes that people would be more likely to buy and sent the boys off on foot to search for the crossing place. They promised to return as soon as possible but Annabeth assured them there was no real rush, just to make them feel less pressured. She was slightly uneasy staying alone with Arthur, particularly after the events of the previous night and that morning if she was honest but she brushed off any offers the knights made her to stay – she could tell they were eager to explore and her silly little fears weren't going to stop them having fun while they could.

Once they were gone, Annabeth went to the stable to find some work but she needn't have bothered. Merlin had kindly, thoughtfully, mucked out the stalls, sprinkled clean hay everywhere and provided the horse with water so there was really nothing for her to do but wait for the bed sheets to dry as she couldn't really fix anything, cook or clean more dishes. She could always set fire to the pile of unsalvageable things outside but she'd rather wait and do that when the knights returned. She could always make a start on cleaning the upstairs rooms but she needed new buckets and mops as hers were in the pile in the courtyard.

"Annabeth, I was thinking," Arthur began, entering the stables. "While we're here Merlin and I will find you a couple of servants from the village to move in here."

"I don't need servants." Annabeth declared, stroking the mane of her horse.

"No but you do need company. This house is too big and secluded for you to live here alone." He reasoned.

Annabeth thought about it. Arthur was right, not to mention she'd go mad without someone to talk to. Actually, the more she thought it through the more ridiculous her plan seemed. Live alone? Without friends or work? Just her in this massive house? What a stupid idea! This place was empty and quiet – she would scare herself more than anything else. But it was her home. She felt safe and at ease here, more than she had done in Camelot. Everything was so calm and natural. She could feel the magic flowing from beneath the cobbles up into her body, encouraging her to be alive.

"Okay, but let's not discuss it now," Annabeth compromised.

"Then what should we do?" Arthur smiled, glad she was finally letting go of the whole arguing idea.

"Let's go back to the beach," Annabeth grinned, her eyes lighting up.

The mid-afternoon sun shone warmly down on Arthur and Annabeth who lay next to each other on their backs, dripping wet on the sand. Annabeth's cheeks hurt from all the laughing and even now she still giggled at a terrible joke told by her partner who looked over at her as lovingly as any man possibly could.

"Annabeth?" Arthur asked nervously.

"Yes?" she rolled over slightly to face him. Beams of sunlight made her dancing eyes sparkle like the surface of the lake, enticing him into their watery depths and erasing the question from his mind.

"I love you," he blurted out the words before he could chicken out.

"I love you too," she whispered, stroking the side of his face gently with the back of her fingers.

Arthur rolled onto his front and kissed Annabeth softly on her lips. He lifted his face away from hers after a moment, searching for a stop or go signal. A content smile blossomed on her face as her two sapphire orbs slid out of sight underneath her eyelids. The hand stroking his cheek slid up to lightly brush his hair and a small amount of pressure told him she wanted more so he gave her another kiss just as soft and slow as before. But it didn't stop there. His kisses were addictive and one she'd had one Annabeth found herself craving more. They became quick and hard, Annabeth leaning up into them so she could take as much as she wanted. Arthur's strong hands slid underneath her, propping up her trembling figure. Heat pooled from spots where their skin touched, filling up their entire bodies with an inferno that not even all the water in the lake could put out. More and more, impossible to stop because they had no reason to. Together they let all reason fly out into forest as he held her tighter, kissed her more, filling every action with as much emotion as they both could muster, praying that the other wouldn't change their mind, letting the love last.

And it did last.

For a short while at least.

**Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate around this time of year. **** Enjoy Merlin tonight and please review as a present for me?**


	32. Chapter 32

**Warning: reference to mature content**

Annabeth didn't know how it happened.

Well actually that was a lie.

Annabeth knew exactly what happened and how. What she didn't know was how or even why she'd let herself be so _stupid_. She also didn't know what she was going to do next.

The light of a new dawn filtered through the blue-stained glass of the window, creating a watery effect on the floor in front of her. Oddly enough her room had been the only one to remain fully intact during their absence. Nothing inside had been broken or damaged or nested in so it was in here that she and Arthur had slept. Now she sat on the end of the large bed, a single white sheet wrapped around her instead of a dress, trying not to shiver because her back was cold and exposed to the cool morning air. Thoughts prowled menacingly around inside her head as she stared at the floor, trying not to make a sound by hiding her mouth behind her hands. Arthur's deep, even breathing behind her and the low birdsong from the forest outside were the soundtrack as she battled with her memories of the activities that had taken place the deep in the night before.

"It left a scar," Arthur's voice was low as one of his fingers traced the think line down her spine, sending shivers rippling through her body that caused her senses to go haywire. "I'm going to kill him."

"Don't talk about him. Not here." Annabeth begged hoarsely.

"I'm sorry," Arthur leaned forward and kissed the north-most point of her scar. "I'm sorry," he repeated, kissing below the original point. He repeated this until he got half way down her back, teasing her until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Do you love me Arthur?" Annabeth asked unnecessarily.

"With every fibre of my being." He reassured her with a kiss on the lips.

"I wish you could stay here with me forever." She thought wistfully out loud.

"If you want me to then I will." Arthur told her, gently pulling her back to lay beside him.

"Really?" she asked hopefully, the sparkles returning to her eyes.

"Really," he pushed himself up to smile down at her before the kisses started again.

It was a very long time before they even thought about leaving the room. In the end their stomachs were both growling so loudly and Annabeth couldn't find her clothes anywhere in the room so Annabeth was forced to go out. Wrapping the white sheet into a toga-like dress around her, Annabeth slipped quietly out of the room and sprinted across the balcony to this stairs which she stumbled down, her feet barely touching the freezing cold stone. Out in the open Annabeth flew across the cobblestones and into the drying room where she slammed the door closed behind her and slid to the floor, clutching her knees to her chest. She sat like that for a little while, breathing deeply as she organised her thoughts and fought the grin lurking just of her face.

Once she'd regained control of herself Annabeth dropped the sheet and started browsing through the clothes that had once belonged to her and her mother. Her clothes were far too big for her now (apparently she'd not only shrunk but lost a great deal of weight in the time since she'd left home) so in the end she chose a low cut blue dress hemmed with silver ribbon that had once belonged to her mother. Wishing for a mirror, Annabeth fetched the large wicker basket that lay on its side in the far corner of the room and began to work on taking down all the items of clothing and folding them neatly into the basket. Arthur's clothes were torn and dirty and he probably shouldn't put his chainmail back on so she figured he could pick what he liked or what fitted him and then mend and wash his clothes later that day. When that was done she carried the basket against her hip and went into the kitchen. Placing it on the table Annabeth filled two tin mugs with clean water and fished the last bit of cheese and bread out of a high cupboard. Balancing their pitiful breakfast on a tray in one hand, Annabeth picked the basket back up and hummed a lullaby to herself as she made her way carefully back to Arthur and wondered what was taking the boys so long. She was officially out of food and desperately needed supplies if she wanted to make headway with the house. Yes, she had said there was no rush but she'd still expected them to be back by now (even though it meant she would have been caught with Arthur doing – well doing something she didn't regret but wasn't particularly proud of either) as the sun's position suggested it was almost midday.

"I've brought you food and clothes," Annabeth announced, pushing the door open with her back to find Arthur still lying in bed without clothes, hands behind his head, quite at ease and half asleep. He blinked and rolled to face her, a sleepy smile spreading across his face.

"I wondered why you were gone so long. I almost came after you," He beamed, sitting up and moving so she could sit on the edge of the bed.

"You knew where I went and why," Annabeth smiled, passing him the tray of food and setting the basket on the floor.

"But you were gone for ages," Arthur pointed out, tucking into his half of the meal.

"I was not," Annabeth smiled at him as she took her mug and began to drink.

"Annabeth you are not going to start a fight over _this_ of all things. I will leave when the time is right so can we just enjoy the rest of our time together, please?" Arthur groaned.

"Yes. Of course Arthur," Annabeth said in a very Gwen-like manner, starling Arthur a bit as she bowed her head.

"Good," he nodded once and tucked back into his meal in an attempt to brush of the awkward moment.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Annabeth roared the moment she saw the group of men drag themselves into the courtyard.

Simultaneously they winced as her voice echoed inside their heads. Their limbs felt so heavy and their vision was foggy, their clothes reeked of alcohol and it took Annabeth less than three seconds for her to work out what had kept them. It was so obvious they were hung over and they would be no use to her in this state. She really should have considered herself lucky that they dragged sacks of food and supplies with them but anger prevailed. The sky was getting dark and she had let Arthur finish the food so she was starving. Luckily she'd been able to tidy up and make some of the other bedrooms decent but that was it. While Arthur went to collect more water she'd spent what seemed like forever pacing the balconies, waiting for someone to come home to her. The quiet and the loneliness had consumed her, making her very scared and paranoid. She hated it; she didn't want to be alone anymore in this house. It needed people – it needed them.

Without waiting for an answer, Annabeth raced down to them. The stench was so intense around them that Annabeth almost choked as she approached. It was all she could do not to hit them all across the head with the sacks they had. Instead she snatched their things off them and ordered them to go dunk their heads in a barrel of water rather rudely before stalking off to the kitchen to sort everything out. There was a lot of banging and unnecessary force as she sorted everything out and Annabeth had no clue where her sudden anger had come from but it raged through her veins like a tsunami, flooding every inch of her body. She had to distract herself, there were jobs to be done - dinner to be cooked, beds to be fixed and prepared for sleeping, animals to be fed and a fire to be lit. She needed to keep a straight head and not frighten Arthur off. That was the last thing she wanted. Sleeping with him had been a big mistake. Before she had known what she wanted – she wanted them to leave, for Arthur to fill out his destiny –yet now she wanted to be nothing but selfish. She wanted Arthur to stay with her so they could live happily ever after but that was not the way their story was meant to play out. It should end when Arthur leaves the island and- and-

"MERLIN!" She bellowed at the top of her lungs, gripping the edge of the table so tightly she thought her bones were going to break through her skin. Merlin would know what to do; he was wise and powerful and would know what the right thing to do here was.

The prince's fool stumbled into the kitchen, soaking wet and dripping water everywhere. The second he saw Annabeth's face his confused look vanished and was replaced with a look of panic.

"Merlin, you have to help me," Annabeth begged. "I'm losing my mind."

**Happy New Year **

**Please review.**


	33. Chapter 33

Annabeth didn't cry as she watched Arthur and his men ride across the lake back to Camelot. She didn't cry but not because she wasn't sad. Inside she was distraught, two steps from sobbing brokenly on the floor, but she'd used up all her tears long ago when she was being a stupid, silly emotional child about being separated from Arthur. The conversation with Merlin had made her force herself to grow up. She wouldn't cry, not now. Now she needed to be strong. Camelot needed its prince and she needed to forget all about him, just as he would soon forget her.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the treetops of the mainland as Arthur turned and looked across to the small group of people on the shore. The strangers waved but his lover, but Annabeth, she didn't. She just stared, her eyes full of heartbreak reflecting the feelings they both felt inside. Part of Arthur wanted to punch the stupid Camelot messenger that rode beside him for cutting his time with Annabeth short but it wasn't really the man's fault Morganna had been sighted within Camelot's walls. At least he and Merlin had had time to hire Annabeth's servants before the messenger arrived. She would not be alone and unprotected. He'd done his job and she would be cared for. Soon he would return for her, he promised himself that, and after he'd sorted everything out with Gwen, he and Annabeth would have their happy ever after.

To Arthur's other side, Merlin looked into his saddle bag instead of back at Annabeth and the other people he hardly knew. The jar she'd pressed into his hands moments before he'd left. A note was attached to the lid with a string but he'd not yet read it. He would wait until he was with Gaius to do that. Instead he looked at the contents of the jar, transfixed by the unearthly blue light it emitted. Carefully the servant tucked a neckerchief around the jar so it would not break and buckled the bag shut again. He had a vague idea about what Annabeth wanted him to do and he was torn in half over it.

"Merlin," Arthur snapped, pulling the reins of his horse.

Merlin snapped out of his thought and pushed the jar to the back of his mind. Digging his heels into the sides of his horse, Merlin shot of into the woods in pursuit of the other knights and the Prince who had thoughtfully left without him.

Back on the island, Annabeth turned to her five new servants.

"You may spend the day settling into your rooms," she told them in a small, hoarse voice. "Lists of duties have been left on each of your beds. The ones with the dots by them must be carried out today before bed. Starting tomorrow you shall have to do all the items on your lists daily unless told otherwise. Those of you who cannot read will spend an hour a day studying with me until you can. For today, ask me and I'll tell you. Any questions?"

When no one moved, Annabeth dismissed them and watched as they moved in a pack up back to the house. She had not approved of what Arthur and Merlin had done but she understood they meant well. The only reason she had accepted the servants at all was because they were penniless orphans like her –or at least like she'd been – and wanted to help them. They were willing enough. They had not yet started being rude to her like her former servants but she was careful around them. She refused to cry or look depressed, just deadpan or serious, almost threatening but not quite. These men and women would respect her, despite her young age. She would not make the same mistake twice.

Once they were way off up the path, Annabeth sat down and tried to pull herself together. Deep breaths, eyes closed, concentrating. She needed to come up with a plan for herself, a way to distract herself until… until she could think of something better to do with her life. She needed to forget the conversation she'd had nearly two weeks ago…

_Annabeth stared mournfully at the sunset over the treetops, absorbing the last of its rays as she let the sound of the water lapping against the nearby shores calm her nerves. Merlin was still inside, having been needed back at the house. Hopefully he'd explain Annabeth's absence on her behalf if someone had noticed in the ten minutes that she'd been gone. Everything around her had an orange glow to it which was strange as she was used to everything being so blue and green. Blue was calming and relaxing. Green was safe. Orange just made the world seem like it was on fire, matching the inferno of thoughts blazing out two potential pathways for Annabeth to follow. _

"_Annabeth?" Merlin called hesitantly. He stood a few feet away from her, watching closely as the young woman tensed before turning to look at Merlin with pitiful blue eyes._

"_How long have we got?" She asked quietly, turning back to look at the sinking sun. _

"_I don't know. Arthur wants us both back before it gets too dark but I'm sure he'll come looking before that. You know what he's like when it comes to you," Merlin shrugged and went to stand by his friend. "Will you tell me what's wrong now?"_

_It took a lot of encouragement and coaxing but eventually Merlin got Annabeth to reveal everything as they began a slow and steady walk to the shore. Once she'd opened up to him it was almost impossible for her to stop. Annabeth poured her heart out to Merlin, telling him about emotions that she didn't even understand. She explained her internal struggle and how she was lost for what to do. She was torn and it was driving her insane. She didn't know what to do, whether she should tell Arthur the truth about her, let him go or return with him. For his part, Merlin just listened patiently, paying close attention as his friend unloaded things she'd kept caged up for far too long. When she was on the verge of tears he gave her a hug and handed her his neckerchief to wipe her eyes and once it was all over he remained silent for the appropriate amount of time before answering her._

"_Who do you want me to answer as?" Merlin frowned, feeling torn between two answers that his nearly two separate selves felt was right._

"_I'm asking you first and foremost as my friend Merlin," Annabeth's voice trembled as they stopped, still a little way off from the beach._

"_I think you should let Arthur go home and stay here for a few months. If Arthur still wants you and you still want him then return and be happy together. The only drawback with that is, as you so yourself, if you stay together you'd have to tell him about your magic and he may not still love you if you do. Annabeth, I know Arthur and while his father is still alive he won't forgive you for having magic. But if he loved you, if you showed him the beautiful side of magic, he might change his mind." Merlin really believed that she could help him but there was a drawback and she knew it._

"_And what would Emrys say?" Annabeth asked in a tiny voice, looking fearfully at her friend._

"_Well as Emrys I would say that you have to let him go. You're not part of Arthur's destiny. He's supposed to marry Gwen and save Camelot and do all of this without you. Marrying Gwen would renew the people's faith in him and I don't know what would happen if you interfered. And then if we- if you failed and Arthur hated you for keeping this secret from him… You could be sentenced to death Anna and I think that would kill him too." Merlin hated himself for saying it out loud but it was too late and the brutally honest words had already left his mouth._

"_Oh," it was all Annabeth could say as she nodded like a small child. _

_The weight of what he said slammed against her head and kicked her brain into gear. Scenarios of the future raced through her mind, scenes with and without her children being made to watch her die as Arthur yelled at her for being a witch, scenes where the children burned with her, scenes where she could never do magic again, scenes where she had to teach her children to hide their magic, scenes where she couldn't have children at all and died all alone, scenes where she was banished and scenes where Arthur killed himself. There was no such thing as a happy ending for them. It was so obvious._

_Merlin watched silently as Annabeth turned away from him and carried on walking down to the lake. Her shoulders slumped and tears slowly started trickling down her face. Heavy footfalls fell faster and faster until she was running, flying away from a stunned Merlin, her childhood home and her forbidden love. She kept running as fast as her legs would carry her down the remaining section of the dirt track. Tripping on a tree root she tumbled out onto the sandy shore. That didn't stop her though. Picking herself back up a sob tore its way out of her throat as she threw herself into the shallows of the lake._

"_Take me back!" She begged, dropping to her knees and pounding against the water before her with an iron fist. "Take me back!"_

_She was too emotional, too hurt. This wasn't her. This wasn't her. _

_Waves began forming in the lake surrounding the island and large thunder storms barrelled across the sky, banishing the setting sun from view. Thunder boomed across the sky as water hurtled to the ground. On the surface the waves grew larger and more violent as Annabeth shrieked. An unnatural intensity electrified the atmosphere as Annabeth released her anger._

"_ANNABETH! ANNABETH STOP!" Merlin yelled running onto the beach. Strong winds whipped at his clothes as the rain drenched him. His heart was breaking as his friend wailing on her knees by the edges of the lake which had now expanded into a roaring ocean, flooding the areas of land around the island. Trees crashed into each other sending bursts of water rocketing up into the air. _

_When he reached her, Merlin wrapped his arms around Annabeth and held her close. _

"_Annabeth, stop it. If Arthur sees, if he finds out-" He tried to reason with her but she cut him off with a metallic wail. _

That was how she lost her tears. She'd lost all her fight too. She was emotionally drained and it hadn't gone unnoticed. Arthur just caused her to be so emotionally raw and human. Maybe it was best if he was gone. It was best if he forgot about her. There would uncertainly be less tears shed that way. Their hearts would remain whole for longer. Yes, it would be best for them both. Annabeth pulled a small glass vial out of her pocket and stared at the shimmering blue water inside. She'd given most of her potion/spell to Merlin for Arthur along with a letter. Since the discussion, since she'd lost her tears, she'd had this ready. It was a way for them both to forget one another and the events of the past few months. It would wash away all of the pain.

_All I have to do is drink it_, she thought, popping the cork lid off the vial.

On the ride home, Arthur could not stop thinking of the woman he was leaving behind. She had been so off, so withdrawn ever since the storm. She'd kept trying to find excuses to send Arthur back to Camelot and it'd killed him every time she mentioned it. Though neither of the two admitted it, Arthur was sure that Merlin had said something to Annabeth to make her this way though he couldn't be sure. Just the memory of Merlin bringing her back after the storm sent chills down his spine.

_Arthur was sitting on a stool under the balconies in the courtyard, feet on an overturned bucket as he waited for Merlin and Annabeth to come back. The others were in one of the downstairs rooms, chuckling as they joked and eat around a small indoor fire. Not Arthur though. The storm had started so suddenly it was terrifying. He wanted to go search for Annabeth and Merlin right away but Lancelot had been against it. _

"_Give them some time. Merlin is capable of bringing her home." He'd told Arthur. And once again, Lancelot was right. _

_The storm had not raged for more than ten minutes when Merlin walked in through the small tunnel with Annabeth draped across his arms like a limp rag doll dripping water. Arthur let out a yell as he raced towards them. This was the second time now and Arthur was certain the next time Merlin brought her to him like this all three of them would stop breathing one way or another._

She'd been okay of course but yet again she seemed to have retreated into her shell where Arthur struggled to reach her. She stopped arguing and crying and laughing and smiling and talking for the majority of the time. She was depressed around everyone except for the rare moments on the beach or in the house she and Arthur got alone when the men went to the village.

"_When I am close to death Arthur, you must come back to the island and make sure I die just like this," Annabeth said firmly, stretching underneath the bright midday sun as she rolled over onto her stomach. _

_Next to her, Arthur squinted through the bright light to see her dazzling face properly. "Why won't I already be here?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light and casual._

"_You'll be in Camelot of course dummy." This was the only teasing Annabeth had done in days and Arthur chuckled appreciatively. "Reigning as King."_

_There was silence between them both as they imagined their respective futures, seeing the other in their imagined lives. Annabeth snapped out of the daydreams first and the silence made her uncomfortable. Standing up, she ran and dived into the lake. A cotton white dress that only came halfway up her thigh replaced her usual attire as swim-wear and it was drenched as she stood up again, clinging attractively to her body. Her mousy brown hair swung around her head in dripping locks free of any ribbon or band. Arthur chose this moment to snap out of his dream to notice what she was doing._

_Noticing him stand to join her, Annabeth ran back to the shore and bowled into Arthur, laughing as they both collapsed on the sand. She wrapped herself around him and planted a kiss on his lips in a playful manner. _

"_You should join me in the water, it's great." She giggled as his arms locked around her. _

"_I will," He grinned back, kissing her again._

There'd been a few moments like that that had led to… more intimate moments between them and he'd loved those. He'd loved every moment between Annabeth and himself (even when she was unhappy) which made leaving that much worse. But he would return to her. He was certain.

_**Merlin, **_

_**Merlin I don't know what to say to you other than I'm going to listen to you and to Emrys. I'm letting Arthur go. The jar I gave you, unless you've not figured it out already, contains enchanted water I made. The glowing will stop the moment the water is in a goblet so he won't catch us out. Get Arthur to drink it, ALL of it, and he will forget about me. Admit it; it's best for the both of us if Arthur forgets. He'll go on to marry Gwen and fulfil his destiny. I've thought about this long and hard and it's the only solution. My time with him is over and I accept that. Just make sure he's happy. Please? Oh, and if you could get my giant pot from my old house sent to me I'd really appreciate it. Visits from you are welcome and I look forward to each and every one of them if they happen. Like you said, we still have lots to learn from each other. **_

_**Don't think I'm throwing all of this, everything Arthur and I had, away. I'm trying to respect his destiny. I hope you understand that. **_

_**Annabeth x**_

Merlin read the letter over and over again, his suspicions being confirmed with each reading. He didn't know how to react or what to do. He looked over at Gaius, who'd already read the letter twice.

"Do it," The old man said gravely. "Respect her wishes as a friend Merlin. As much as we both regret to admit it she's right."

"I know," Merlin nodded. "I'm just worried for her."

"Annabeth is a strong young woman. She'll be fine." Gaius reminded his ward.

It was late at night when Arthur returned from yet another search of the city. Morganna was nowhere to be found as per usual but he could never be sure. She was very good at hiding from them as most sorcerers were. Arthur tired beyond belief, flopped back on his bed as he kicked off his boots and waited for Merlin to arrive to help him out of his armour. Thoughts of Annabeth swum round his head during his short wait. When Merlin entered his room, he had a goblet of water on a tray. It was quite obviously cold and Arthur suddenly felt boiling in his armour. Before Merlin could say anything he'd leapt up and snatched the goblet off the tray. He downed it in one and then looked at Merlin expectantly.

"Don't just stand there. Help me with my armour." He ordered just before he plummeted to the floor and blacked out.

**AN: This is the second to last chapter. I know I promised more but it's time this fic ends. The next chapter will be the epilogue and that's it. I am not unreasonable so for those who want a sequel or something or even a prequel, if I get… let's say 10 reviews combined for the next two chapters then I shall **_**consider**_** writing a sequel. 20 will seal the deal and I will. Leave in your review in the epilogue if you want a sequel or a prequel. 30 (which probably won't happen, hence the reason I picked it) will ensure both.**

**I'll repeat this at the end of the epilogue too but in the future (probably the summer) I plan on rewriting this fic from start to end, making sure I get rid of all the stupid typos and stuff and then I'm going to upload the fixed chapters. There may even be some new passages and parts to the story too so you may want to un-follow this story or not, it depends. I'll be deleting the Author's Notes on the previous chapters too. Just a warning. **

**Thanks, please review.**


	34. Epilogue

As Arthur turned around to face his new subjects as their king he briefly caught sight of three people standing by the doors at the very back of the packed hall. It was hard to tell who these people were as they hovered like shadows, staring up at Arthur with identical expressions of pain-filled joy. Just as Arthur gave them no second thought the strangers paid no attention to each other which would have made onlookers wonder if they could see each other if there were any.  
>On the left was the smoky outline of a man bulked up in armour. A faint clinking sound could be hear as he clapped however Lancelot's faint laughter was drowned out by the thunderous applause.<br>On the right the ghost of Uther Pendragon managed to temporarily set aside his regrets and fearful doubts about the capability of the new king to be proud of his only son for that one shining moment.  
>Between the two men a hooded woman held a baby boy in her both had the Pendragon crest embroidered in goden thread on the front of their blue hoods but aside from this they were indistinguishable from th crowd. They certainly didn't look like anone of importance but if Annabeth removed her hood, the knights and the palace guards would certainly recognise her, as would her students standing only a few feet in front of her. The only reason she felt comfortable being there was that if she went up to Arthur he'd have no idea who she was, not that she was going to go up to him. She had only let herself go to the coronation on the promise that she wouldn't seek Arthur out and remove the spell on him. No matter how much she missed him not taking the potion was the best decision she'd ever made, particularly when she realised she was carrying Arthur's baby. she needed to keep the memories alive, for Tristan's sake if not he own.<br>"Look Tristan, that man there is your daddy." Annabeth pointed as she whispered into the little boy's gurgled happily in her arms while his own reached towards the elevated platform where Arthur smiled down on them all.  
>Uther's ghost turned at this and looked at the woman and child in surprise.<br>"I have a grandson," he whispered joyfully to himself.  
>"When Arthur finds out Gwen will know too, then she'll be all mine," Lancelot though greedily as the thought consumed him. Once he was out of the spirit world (and he WOULD get out. There was no doubt about it.) he would make sure everything was the way it ought to be. Afterall, he couldn't let Arthur have everything.<br>"Okay Tristan, time to go." Annabeth sniffed, awkwardly wiping away a tear while balancing her son in her arms.  
>Simultaneousy The three adults turned on the spot and walked through the double doors though only Annabeth and Tristan emerged through into the corridor outside. Annabeth didn't need an escort outside as she remembered the route well enough on her own. She kept her head bent as she fought off memories as it was neither the place nor time to get distracted. Once outside she let out a relieved sigh. The cool air blew gently on her face as she descended the stone steps at the front of the castle and she was grateful to have gotten out ahead of the crowds.<br>"Annabeth, wait!"  
>Annabeth froze at the bottom of the stairs. She hadn't been counting on this. Not at all.<br>"Annabeth!" Merlin panted as he raced out of the castle and down the stairs to meet her. "You came!" He beamed.  
>"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Annabeth whispered, forcing a smile for her friend's benefit. In her arms Tristan began to wail.<br>"How is he?" Merlin asked in a hushed voice as Annabeth frowned down at her son.  
>"He's... He's good. It's difficult to raise him alone. I know nothing about boys and it's not like I can ask one of the servants for help," she admitted without meeting Merlin's sympathetic eyes.<br>"Maybe you should move back to Camelot. I could help you then." Merlin suggested cautiously.  
>"Merlin, you know I can't. I'm back where I belong now." Annabeth reminded him firmly.<br>"You're not exactly making it easy," Merlin shrugged, not knowing what else to say. They'd had this discusion multiple times when he went to visit her and it always ended the exact same way.  
>"When has it ever been easy with me Merlin?" Annabeth couldn't help but smirk. "Arthur is still clueless? The spell has held?" she couldn't help but confirm.<br>"Yes but Anna-"  
>"Merlin, what on earth are you doing out here?" Arthur demanded to know as he emerged from the castle, annoyance evident on his face. "We need you inside - Oh." He stopped abruptly upon seeing Annabeth.<br>Annabeth tensed, holding Tristan closer. Merlin gave her a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder before turning to Arthur. "This is Annabeth and her son Tristan." he introduced, seemingly unfazed.  
>"Your Majesty," Annabeth curtsied, avoiding eye-contact.<br>"Annabeth..." The name felt familiar to him. Arthur's face screwed up momentarily in concentration, as though he were trying to place her in his memory.  
>"Yes sire, I'm a friend of Merlin's." Miraculously Annabeth managed to keep her composure despite the destructive current of emotions racing through her.<br>"I'm surprised an idiot like Merlin has any friends outside of the castle." Arthur attempted to joke but there was something off in his voice as he tried to fight the fog in his mind.  
>"Merlin is incredibly clever and a kind, caring friend. I'd be lost without his help." Annabeth instictively retorted. How easy it was to slip into old habits.<br>"Oh," Arthur seemed to be at a loss for words.  
>"Well Merlin, my lord, I have to leave now if I want to make it home by nightfall. Send my love to Gaius and don't forget you're welcome in my home at any time Merlin," she placed a friendly hand on his arm and smiled at him sadly before turning and curtseying to Arthur, who nodded back. Merlin wasn't satisfied by just a touch and insisted on hugging her before cooing goodbye to Charlie.<br>"I'll visit you as soon as I get some time off," Merlin promised with a smile.  
>"Bring Gaius if you want. I'm sure he'd be interested to meet Charlie." Her slightly suggestive tone sparked an interest in Merlin but he could not question Annabeth in front of Arthur for many reasons. "Until we meet again Merlin, Sire."<br>Drawing her cloak tight, Annabeth strolled out of the courtyard with her head held high in defiance to the ache in her heart. Once she was out of sight Arthur turned to Merlin and looked at him earnestly.  
>"Do I know her?" There was a slightly crazed look in his eye, as though not knowing was driving him mad.<br>"You do now," Merlin evaded giving a straight answer. He found it hard to lie to Arthur about this but at the same time he felt the need to protect Annabeth and do as she wished.  
>"That's not what I meant. Have I met her before?" Arthur persisted.<br>"I really couldn't say." Merlin shrugged, jogging back up the steps to stand at Arthur's side.  
>"It's just... I feel like there's something missing in my life and that she's part of it somehow."Arthur frowned, shaking his head.<br>"Maybe she stole your diary." Merlin joked.  
>"You really are a useless idiot, you know that?" Arthur snapped. He hesitated and then blinked. "Sorry Merlin, I didn't mean to call you that. Just get inside and do your job, okay?"<br>"Yes sire," Merlin nodded before heading in ahead of Arthur. He smiled to himself because despite everything, Annabeth had still managed to get through to him.

On the edge of the forest Annabeth sat astride a white horse, Tristan resting in a sling against her chest. She looked up at the castle and the sun setting behind it, imagining Arthur laughing with his knights as Merlin served them dinner.  
>"Until we meet again, my love." She whispered, knowing fulwell that he could not hear her.<br>Digging her heels into the sides of her horse, Annabeth readjusted the reins and set off at a gentle trot back to her home at the Lake of Avalon.


	35. A Sequel Is Born

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**

So, after a lot of planning and several chapters pre-written, I have decided that _**IF**_ people want it there can be a sequel to _The Lady of the Lake_. However, unlike this fic (which fits in perfectly between series) it will stray away from the line the BBC took the show down so it will ignore the canon but if you guys don't mind I'm all too happy to give you the sequel.

Unlike the best things in life (fanfiction, music and oxygen), this fic doesn't come "free": I need at least 10 reviews/PMs for this note saying that you would like a sequel. With 47 followers and (hopefully) new ones as this fic is "posted" again, it means less than a quarter of you have to agree that this is what you want. I'm a bit hesitant due to the massive changes in my life recently which may impact how often the fic is updated (I'm in my last year of school) but if the fans want it then I shall give them the sequel!

So just to reiterate: If you want the sequel, review this chapter or PM me saying you want the sequel. And just to be nice I'll give you a taster of what's to come.

"_No, no, no, no, _no._ Do you know what the penalty is for lying to the King?" Gaius shook his head determinedly. _

"_But Gaius! He-" Annabeth mouthed the next word. "-me! I didn't mean to kill him! He did that and then I heard thee water in his body calling to me. It begged and there was no other choice at that point! I couldn't stop myself!" Annabeth pleaded, truly ashamed of what she had done._

"_That may be so but-" Gaius began, a frown on his worn, old face._

"_Gaius, if you tell him it's sorcery one of two things will happen. The first is that some poor, innocent fool will be tracked down and executed for my crime. The second is that I will be caught or blamed and they will execute me. Could you really let Tristan watch his father murder his mother in front of hundreds of people?"_


End file.
